Hudson Collins, a friend and teammate of mine from Blair, has a message. I told him I would gladly welcome any “clear, cogent piece” he wrote, and he went above and beyond my expectations. When he says he has worked with world class coaches, I give you my word, that is not an exaggeration. If anything, it’s an understatement. Hope you enjoy his message.
When I was first asked to do a guest entry on Rollie’s Blog I was initially flattered. Later, when I realized people would read this, I was apprehensive about the prospect. I asked Rollie what I could possibly contribute. He responded by asking, “What knowledge do you have that is of value to others?” He then went on to remind me that I was an English Major and that writing well should not be as hard as I expected. Ironically, his advice and reassurance showed me the common bond between being a great writer and a great wrestler. A voice. Your voice.
When I first took higher level English classes in high school, my teacher told me that I was too uniform and dry in my prose. In order to elevate the level of my writing, I needed to find my own voice. I was very frustrated with this concept. How does one discover his or her “voice?” Several years later, I finally realized that a “voice” is not discovered. Instead it is developed—by reading others’ great writing and constantly critiquing one’s own.
This leads me to the goal of finding one’s wrestling “voice.” I am the first to admit that I have been in the sport a relatively short time—five years this October. Yet I have been incredibly lucky in that short span. From the time I started, I have been surrounded by some of the best athletes and coaches in the country, if not the world. Each one had his own unique style which seemed to suit his personality. Each time I worked with a new coach, I wanted to do exactly what he did. It made sense to me that my imitation of his style would eventually lead to similar success for me. It didn’t. No doubt, I have made great progress in the sport, but I was frustrated that I was not achieving my goals, even though I did as I had been instructed.
Not long ago I realized my problem. Although I had some of the best coaching and had learned so much, I had yet to develop my own “voice” in the sport. As I said before, all of my coaches had different styles. Some were flexible and funky, some had incredible athleticism and explosiveness. I now realize that I would have been much better served picking up what felt the most comfortable and natural, as opposed to starting over each time and changing my style with each coaching change.
So here is my knowledge that may be of value: in order to mature as a wrestler and to develop your own style, you need to be open to new techniques and philosophies, all the while sifting through the information and picking out what will best fit you. Just listen to some of the higher level guys interviewed on www.flowrestling.org. They have a rare level of understanding about their craft, one which can only derive from years of evaluation and experimentation. One interview which comes to mind is John Smith’s, entitled “The Scientist.”
In wrestling, like writing, this development and evolution will lead you to a greater understanding of your discipline and, ultimately, your own unique voice.
True Ease in Writing comes from Art, not Chance,
As those move easiest who have learn’d to dance.
~Alexander Pope, “An Essay on Criticism”
