I can remember my father and brother sitting at the kitchen table when I walked in. They both got that glazed look in their eyes and said they wanted to talk to me. I had just started my freshman year at Framingham South High and was looking forward to my first year wrestling on the team when they shocked me by telling me that if I didn?t really want to wrestle, there would be no shame in the family. Didn?t want to? I have been waiting years to wrestle in high school!



In this family, wrestling was more than a sport, it was a way of life. We had our own mat we would use in the garage, in the backyard or in the living room (when mom and dad were gone). We had the doctor?s scale in the bathroom for actual weight. If you were ever on your back, even to watch TV, you were put in a guillotine or worse. We had all out tournaments, with 5 boys in the family and the extended wrestling family of present and former wrestlers coming in and out to practice, we had our own ?all-star team?.



Why would they say this too me? I love wrestling! But I knew the answer. I was the worst wrestler of all time. I had just finished my second year at Camp Monomoy was the worst wrestler in the camp tournament for the second straight year. I was pinned every time. I can still hear Coach Parker of Springfield College trying to console me after another stuff. I had tears in my eyes and he just kept telling me ?you?ll get it, you?ll catch on, just stay with it. But now my father and brother were telling my just the opposite.



?Chris, I don?t think you have what it takes?. ?If you don?t want to wrestle (I?m sure they planned not to say ?quit?), we won?t think any less of you.?



I went to my room thinking, ?what just happened?? But I knew. They didn?t want me to embarrass the family tradition of wrestling or at least that?s how I felt. Having two brothers who were third in the state tournament and another who had a distinguished career, they didn?t need the ?fish? of the wrestling family swimming on the mat ruining a good family name. Maybe they thought I didn?t have the skills (I didn?t) but what I did have was heart.



They gave me just the push I needed. I really wanted to show them that I was not a quitter and I would not give up.



I started working out everyday. I went to the library and read books on wrestling techniques and famous Olympic wrestlers. I starting writing book reports on the sport for school and pretended I knew how to wrestle.



When practice finally started, I was the fist on the mat and the last to leave if possible. I weighed 85 pounds and started the season on JV. I loved it; I was part of the team. I still wasn?t any good, but I was on the team. That was a start.



After a few matches, the starting varsity 100 pounder was injured. Here was my first shot at the big time.



I was probably the worst looking varsity wrestler of all time but I won. I remember it well, I won by fall in my first varsity match. Not much time to bask in the glory though the next match was against Framingham North, a big rival. With our 100 pounder still hurt, I had the task of going against a finalist from the Framingham Holiday Tournament. I remember the short bus ride to the meet. One of our captains had a list of possible results. He had matched up all the weight classes and he had me down as getting pinned and giving up 6 points for the team. I felt like I was back at the kitchen table with my father and brother.



During the meet the gym was packed, the local cable station was taping it to show later that week. I have never been so nervous in my life. The match started and I can honestly tell you that I from the first whistle to start until my hand was raised, I don?t remember a thing. I didn?t know I won until that point and I looked at the score, it was 16 to 15. I had won. And it felt great. A few more wins and a third in sectionals made for a great year. I wrestled all summer and went to every camp and tournament no matter how small.

I went to Iowa with the Massachusetts Junior Olympic Team (they had a spot to fill) and wrestled some of the best in the country. During training for nationals Coach Freitus gave each wrestler a silver dollar in a small case. He said that this represented what you wanted to achieve in wrestling. I held the silver dollar and thought, the best my brothers did was 3rd in the state. I want to be a state champion. I sealed the coin with tape and promised I would never open it until I won the state championship.



Sophomore year in HS came fast. I couldn?t wait to get back on the mat. I wrestled at 100 again but with much different results. I was winning consistently. I had a great year and made it to the state finals. With two older brothers helping coach me (Along with Gordy Wrin) I won the Division II State Championship.



I went home that night and looked at the coin. This represented everything I wanted in life (up to that point). The only problem is I got it. I got what I wanted. I worked hard, did my best and achieved what I dreamed of. I didn?t let anything get in my way. I showed my family that I did belong on the mat and could achieve anything if I put my mind to it. But I felt that I sold myself short. I should have reached higher. I couldn?t open it now. So I put it away.



I still use that coin. Whenever I want something in my personal or professional life, I take it out of my drawer and think about what I need to achieve then put it back until I reach that goal. But I never take it out of the case and have never touched the actual coin since Coach gave it to me. It still has the one piece of tape I placed on it back in 1985. One coin with priceless memories.



Thanks Dad, thanks Mike. Thanks for giving me a reason to strive to be the best at everything I do. Maybe the method was a little harsh but the result was amazing.



To all the wrestlers who haven?t quite reached your goals?. Don?t stop trying, find your coin and you?ll achieve great things?. In wrestling and in life.