My Dad, My Heart, Our Sport我的爸爸，我的心，我们的运动

The first time I stepped onto a wrestling1 mat2， I was six， but all my familymembers like to say I got started in wrestling the day I was born. That’s becausemy dad used to be a wrestling coach and was pretty intense3 about the sport. Hehad coached state champions， guys he pushed and pushed to make them get to thetop of the victory podium4. Afterward， they all said how much they loved him.Dad stopped coaching when I turned twelve， but he never let go of his own lovefor the sport.

He never pressured me to win like his former5 wrestlers had. Maybe Dadsaw I lacked their skills or mental toughness6. Or maybe he blamed himself fornot giving me the genetic7 talent one needs to be a great athlete. Either way，although he tried not to show it， I could see the hurt in his eyes when I lost. Itwasn’t that he was disappointed; I think he felt sorry for me.

I knew my limitations8 （most opponents were quicker） and my strengths（because of Dad， I knew more moves）， but before I got into high school， I justwasn’t serious about the sport. The brutal truth is that if you want to win atwrestling， you have to take it seriously or， as Dad would say， “You have todedicate9 yourself， son. Commit10 to the sport.”

Dad was right.

我第一次踏上摔跤垫是在六岁的时候，但我所有的家人都喜欢说我从出生那天起就开始接触摔跤了。那是因为我爸爸曾经是一名摔跤教练，非常热衷于这项运动。他曾指导过州冠军，他不断推动他们登上胜利领奖台的顶峰。之后，他们都说他们多么爱他。我十二岁时，爸爸就不再执教了，但他从未放弃自己对这项运动的热爱。

他从来没有强迫我像他以前的摔跤手那样赢。也许爸爸看到我缺乏他们的技能或心理韧性。或者他自责没有遗传给我成为一名优秀运动员所需的天赋。不管怎样，尽管他尽量不表现出来，但我能看到我输掉比赛时他眼中的伤痛。他并不是感到失望；我想他是为我感到难过。

我知道自己的局限性（大多数对手都更快）和优势（因为爸爸，我知道更多的动作），但在我上高中之前，我并没有认真对待这项运动。残酷的事实是，如果你想在摔跤比赛中获胜，你必须认真对待它，或者，正如爸爸会说的：“你必须全身心地投入，儿子。投入到这项运动中去。”

爸爸是对的。

When I joined the high school team， I committed myself and trained yearround—with Dad leading the way. He and I were together a lot. In the spring，summer， and fall， I lifted with Dad spotting me， ran with Dad timing me， andlearned advanced moves from Dad to improve my technique on the mat. “You haveto do more than the other guys，”Dad advised me. “Practices during the seasonaren’t enough. This is what you have to do if you want to be successful atanything.”

During the season， he’d watch from the stands， and I’d join him in the bleachers11 to hear his critique12 after my matches. I listened carefully to what hehad to say， and soon I began to win more matches. The trophies13 glistened14 on mybedroom bookshelf at home. But Dad hugging me after my matches—his face beaming15 with pride—glistens even more brightly in my memory.

Things changed， though.

At a practice during the first week of the season in my senior year， I felt myheart uncomfortable. Dad took me to the doctor’s office， and the worst news，however， was that I had to stop wrestling. Dad was so upset. Nevertheless， when wedrove home， Dad echoed16 the doctor， “Quitting wrestling is the right thing to do，Keith.”

At the dinner table that evening， Dad said nothing， worrying me. Later， Igathered the courage to stand in front of him as he sat watching the news and askedif we could talk.

“Of course， son. What is it？”He turned off the television and looked up at me.

I looked at the tops of my shoes. “I’m sorry ifI’ve disappointed you.”

当我加入高中校队时，我全身心投入，全年都在训练———由爸爸带头。他和我经常在一起。在春天、夏天和秋天，我在爸爸的指导下举重，在爸爸的计时下跑步，并从爸爸那里学习高阶动作，以提高我在摔跤垫上的技术。“你必须比其他人做得更多。”爸爸建议我说，“仅仅在赛季里练习是不够的。如果你想在任何事情上取得成功，这就是你必须做的。”

在赛季中，他会在看台上观看比赛，我会在我的比赛结束后和他一起在露天看台上听取他的点评。我认真地听了他的话，很快我就开始赢得更多的比赛。奖杯在我家卧室的书架上闪闪发光。但在我的记忆中，爸爸在比赛结束后拥抱着我，脸上洋溢着的自豪的笑容更加灿烂。

然而，事情发生了变化。

在高三赛季第一周的一次练习中，我感到心脏不舒服。爸爸带我去看医生，最坏的消息是我不得不停止摔跤。爸爸很沮丧。尽管如此，当我们开车回家时，爸爸还是重复了医生的话：“放弃摔跤是正确的做法，基思。”

那天晚上，在餐桌上，爸爸一言不发，这让我很担心。后来，我鼓起勇气，在他看新闻的时候站在他面前，问我们是否可以谈谈。

“当然，儿子。想谈什么？”他关掉电视，抬头看着我。

我看向了我的鞋尖。“如果我让你失望了，我很抱歉。”

He exhaled17 loudly and rested his hands on his knees. “What？ How haveyou disappointed me？”

I lifted my head and met his eyes. “That I couldn’t finish wrestling thisseason.”

Dad’s voice came down a decibel18 or two. “That’s not your fault， Keith，and you didn’t disappoint me.”

I continued to stare at Dad and pressed on， “Is wrestling the only thing wehave in common？”

Dad bowed his head and said， “I’ve been a real chump19 if anything I’vedone has made you feel that way.”

We stayed quiet for a minute， both of us wondering who should speak next.I searched my brain for the right words until I found them. “I thought our onlybond was wrestling.”

Dad looked up at me and smiled slowly. “It was never really aboutwrestling， son. It was about dedication20， commitment21， and perseverance22.The fact that you trained the way you did and competed so enthusiastically23was enough for me.”He finished his statement with a head nod.

I discovered I’d been holding my breath. “So， you’re not disappointed orangry？”

His eyes got big. “Of course not. I’ve never been angry at you， and I willalways love you whether you wrestle or not.”Then Dad stood and hugged me，his arms enveloping24 me in the warmth of his body.