An opportunity such as this does not come often, and because of that I remember this day as if it were yesterday. Saturday afternoon I made my way into Cine El Rey to attend my first wrestling practice. Ethan could not attend this practice so I was on my own meeting the other wrestlers. As the newbie I was one of two other girls at practice with about 10 guys there.
The beginning of practice was me learning the basics which started with the star rolls. This was me literally rolling in the ring forming a star. It started at a corner in the ring with a front roll to the middle of the ring, then from the middle of the ring a quarter roll to the second corner of the ring, and repeated until you ended where you started with a back roll. This always made me dizzy.
After learning my star rolls, I next learned to bump. What's a bump you ask? It's landing on the mat. Safety is the most important rule in wrestling because landing wrong can break your neck, back, you can be in serious danger if you don't know how to land. This was were the fun began. Taking a bump is tough on the back.. everything you do in this sport in tough on the body.. but bumping is the first wrestling thing you learn.
During this process, everyone takes turns doing their rolls and bumping so everyone is just standing there WATCHING YOU! No pressure for the new girl right? The head trainer was pretty hard on everyone. Of course I wanted to make a good impression so I listened to everything he said and never said "I can't or I'm scared." In sports saying "no" is something i will never do. I will always try until I perfect my technique. So I learned how to took a back bump, that was pretty simple. Then a front bump, this is harder then a back bump but still easy to take. We moved onto the next bump and when I saw the first person go I TOTALLY FREAKED OUT!! The last bump was a FRONT FLIP BUMP!! Whaaaaat!?? I didn't even think I could flip! The guys started it off, then we moved to the girls and to my surprise both girls refused to do this. Trust me it looked scary. The head trainer then looks at me and says "Okay your turn." I entered the ring with such fear. I listened to his direction, he said "hit the ropes, run to the middle of the jump up and flip forward into a back bump. Go when your ready."
By this point my HEART WAS BEATING SO FAST, I could feel my heart pound out of my chest.. but I knew I had to give this a try and I wasn't going to say No. First I had to visualize myself doing it... or maybe I was just killing time.. regardless I took a deep breath, hit the ropes, jumped up turned into a front flip and ended in a back bump! AND IT WAS GOOD! I ACTUALLY DID IT! AND IT WAS GOOD! The trainer said, "Okay good, finish your three." I finished my three and was SUPER ECSTATIC! The whole practice had come easy to me and it was as if I was meant to be there doing, as if I was born for this. This was a huge accomplishment.
The trainer looked at the other girls and then looked at me...
HIM: How many practices have you been too?
ME: This is my first practice..
He looked at me, shocked.
HIM: WAIT YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO A PRACTICE BEFORE!?
Me: No this is my first..
HIM: I THOUGHT YOU HAD BEEN TO A PRACTICE BEFORE!!
Me: No this is my first.
he looked at the girls and he was so mad at them.
HIM: THIS IS HER FIRST PRACTICE AND SHE DID A FRONT FLIP BUMP AND YOU GIRLS WONT EVEN TRY IT!! SHE IS GOING SOMEWHERE!
I was quiet.
He looked at me a said, "Good job. I look forward to teaching you more."
The girls gave me ugly looks but I didn't care. I had never felt more at home. Practice continued but that was the moment I knew the first practice is always the hardest.
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