That Mom

So, it's that time of year when I spend a great deal of time watching my oldest son wrestle. I've been coaching since I was fifteen, so I'm sure there were concerns about how the coach would be a parent with her athletes.  Over the last twenty years or so, I have seen some parents who are coaches stop being a parent and continue being the coach (a really rough coach).  I understand their concerns.  Some of the parents at these wrestling matches are ROUGH and they don't make a living coaching like I do!

I'm pretty well known and with a background in athletic training, I get access that other parents don't.  I have a coach's pass, so I don't pay the $7.00 to get into the match.  If Stephen gets hurt, I go down to the mat (if I'm not already there).  I've wrapped, stretched and iced for the team.  I know where everything is in the med kit and most of the time know where the med kit is.  I have keys to the wrestling room and in a pinch will fill in until a coach can get to the match.  Despite all of this, I try to remember that my role at wrestling is supposed to be Stephen's mom, not a coach!

Since I don't often get to be the athletic parent, I think I'm a good athlete parent, but I've been told that I'm one of THOSE parents!  You know, the ones with the video cameras and no matter where they are in the gym you can hear their voice over everyone else's.  Yeah, I'm that mom!  I have even attached video proof that I am THAT MOM!  Sometimes I think that I have earned the right to be that mom and other times I just pull out my knitting and try to be quiet.  Since I'm not a naturally quiet person, and I'm a very passionate sports fan, I usually leave most wrestling matches hoarse and like I've coached a marathon!

Stephen's childhood/ high school athletic career will come to an end next year.  When he shows his kids old videos of his great high school wrestling career he won't be able to do it without that loud voice in the background.  Even if I'm gone, when he shows his kids his videos, at least generations will know that he had a mom that cared enough to shout the very best behind the camera because she was THAT MOM!