Making weight

Ben is competing in his second wrestling tournament on Saturday.  This one is put on by his wrestling club, which means that it is local, and will also be a big tournament.

Wrestlers are matched by age, experience, and weight.  The weight classes for Ben's age group go in 4-pound increments, and of course you are better off being at the top of one group rather than the bottom of the next.

Ben was weighed on Monday when he registered for the tournament and was just over 56 pounds, putting him in the 60-pound weight class.  Brad had him weighed again on Tuesday night, and he was just under 56, so they moved him down to the 56-pound weight class.  Now we have to keep him below 56 pounds until he is weighed again Friday night.  Once they write his official weight in permanent marker on his arm, he's free to head over to the buffet.

Some ways to keep their weight down are: watching what they eat (no big meals before weighing in), removing extra clothes (they weigh-in wearing only their singlet, which isn't much) and making them go to the bathroom.  Some ways you are not allowed to keep their weight down include: making them vomit, wrapping them in plastic, and making them run laps around the building.  Or, at least, don't let anyone catch you doing these things to your child.

I can't help but laugh (to myself, of course) when they say things like this.  But then I think, they are saying these things for a reason.  The same reason they tell you that you are not allowed to glue your child's flags to the flag belt before his football game.

Being in the lower weight class should help Ben's chances of winning a match, and that would make it a better experience for him.  But what he really needs is more practice and experience, and the best way to get that is by being in a tournament.  He is excited and I am sure he will have fun with it no matter what.