A Girl and Her Dad
Pictures Courtesy of Ely Prussin
In 2015 my daughter Peyton Prussin was entering high school in Las Vegas and came home and told us she was trying out for the boy’s wrestling team. It wasn’t a shocker since Peyton had been practicing Jiu Jitsu, Judo and Martial Arts for the past 3 years and had been competing against the boys in Jiu Jitsu tournaments in Las Vegas and California. However, wrestling we knew nothing about this sport, I was a college athlete in Baseball and played football in high school but knew very little about this world of wrestling. When talking to another father at the Martial Arts gym he said there’s scholarship money in women’s wrestling, maybe Peyton can get a scholarship when she graduates. It sounded nice but seemed like a pipe dream at the time. After one of the first high school practices her coach took her aside and told her “If you are here to pick up guys, you are in the wrong place and you will be gone.”
Just before her freshman year there was a big wrestling tournament in Las Vegas called Freakshow. There were about 1000 kids from around the country entered in multiple divisions. Her coach signed her up for boy’s division and girl’s division. She had 1 week of wrestling practice under her belt. Nothing like being thrown into the shark tank. We didn’t have a singlet so she borrowed one from a friend and we purchased head gear at the tournament not realizing she needed one. The first day was the boy’s division and I was so nervous for her. Her first match started and I had no clue what was going on she battled hard I was cheering when I thought she scored points, which wasn’t the case but she worked hard. I was asking other parents what’s that, isn’t that two points? She ended up losing but survived the whole match and lost by a few points. I was super proud of her. Then we waited and I quickly realized at wrestling tournaments there’s a lot of waiting haha. Her next match came up and she got pinned and was out of the boy’s tournament 0-2. We watched the rest of the team that day and went home to get ready to return the next day to wrestle in the girl’s bracket.
We arrived the next day and waited for her match to come up. She wrestled good but lost her first girl’s match by a couple points. 0-3 to start her wrestling career. I figured it would be a quick day and a good learning experience thinking hopefully she doesn’t quit. Peyton won her next match by a pin, how exciting it was and a relief at the same time. She ended that day winning 5 matches and losing 2 matches to finish 7th in a pretty big girl’s bracket. Her coaches were proud of her and I was proud of her. I instantly became a huge fan of the sport that day and even learned about what I was watching. Little did me or our family know how wrestling would become a huge part of our lives.
Fast forward to today 2021, wrestling is part of our families lives. I’ve become a huge fan of the sport of wrestling. Peyton is starting her Junior year at Life University in Marietta GA on a wrestling scholarship coming off 23-0 undefeated season, winning a National Championship, winning Female Athlete of the Year at her school and qualifying and competing at the USA Olympic Trials. In the 7 years Peyton has been wrestling it has given her the opportunity to travel to many states to compete, train at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado, travel to Japan to compete for Team USA and get a great education while doing what she loves. All the hard work, weight cutting, blood, sweat, tears, injuries, victories and defeats have been instrumental in forming the woman that Peyton is today. It definitely was not always easy. She worked hard and endured a lot and made many sacrifices to get where she is today.
Wrestling has prepared Peyton to be a hard working adult. Like Life nothing is given to you and if you want to exceed you have to work hard for it. That’s the same on the mat. You don’t get wins and medals for just showing up and participating. You achieve those things by working extremely hard and winning. The bond that my daughter and I have are strengthened everyday through the sport of wrestling. The many tournament trips for the past seven years across this country together are because of wrestling. When she achieves her goals that she sets for herself on and off the mat brings me and my family pride and joy. When she falls short of goals or experiences defeat it stings and saddens us for a bit, but like in Life you get knocked down and pick yourself back up to compete another day. No matter how successful your child is on the mat the sport of wrestling will give your child and your family so much more than you can imagine. I honestly believe Wrestling prepares the wrestler on how to be successful in Life. Experts say wrestlers make the best employees.
“More enduringly than any other sport, wrestling teaches self-control and pride. Some have wrestled without great skill – none have wrestled without great pride.” – Dan Gable –Ely Prussin