Freestyle Tournaments--So Much Learning!

 The kids are going all-ish in on freestyle season this year.  They all need more mat time to get better.  And, for Libby--college wrestling means freestyle wrestling.  The first tournament they went to was a Fargo qualifier--NW Regionals.  They all got smoked. (I didn't go--I took a much needed weekend at home.)  Libby lost to a CA state champ and another CA state placer. 

Yesterday was a bit better.  Ben won his first freestyle match and performed decently in some of his other matches (freestyle is very unforgiving.  It only take 10 points to tech someone...and that can happen in a flash.) Sarah struggled.  Libby won all her matches.  That was good for her confidence.  She's going in 2 weeks to check out a community college in Iowa that has recruited her.  So she needs more freestyle experience! 

I did get some great shots yesterday!

 

Fifth Grade Camp 2025

 Fifth grade camp came right on the heels of the middle school season.  We literally had just a few days of turn around time.  This was because our group was so big we got booted from our original camp location and had to switch weeks and locations.  We had to do a lot of scrambling to get counselors.  (Including on the night before when 3 dropped out.)  It was such a messy process this year.  Yuck.

But in the end, the location was beautiful--Orcas Island is incredible.  The weather was favorable--cool but not raining.  We even had some SUN!  And the kids were reasonably well behaved.  (Apparently Libby was the meanest counselor, haha.) 

I loved having both Libby and Sarah there.  They did a great job leading songs, playing mafia with the kids, and in general, being fabulous.

I took over 1000 pictures with my new camera.  Super fun. 

I am exhausted though.  Wishing camp had been at the original date--when we would have had the whole week of spring break to recover! 

Libby also found a snake. 

Successful Middle School Season!

 We made it through the wrestling seasons!  This is truly a journey, as we begin high school mid-November (and for me doing scheduling it started much earlier), and finish in the first week of April.  The middle school season is much easier--as there are no weekend or evening commitments.  But for me it is a little harder, as I have to leave school early several times to be there for the matches.  We all learned and grew so much during this time.  We got to do this as a family.  That is so cool!

I also got a new camera lens!  I had fun taking pictures toward the end of the season--especially during the middle school season.  

Of course wrestling still isn't really over for us.  All 3 kids have already wrestled in 2 freestyle tournaments (including yesterday).  But the commitment is different. Derek is helping to coach one night a week for this month.  The "Rhinos Elite" program starts this week where Libby and Ben will go 3 nights a week.  

We'll all go to Spokane for the Freestyle & Greco State Tournament the first weekend in May.

Then we'll for real take a break from competing.  (I think the Rhinos Elite program even runs through the summer?)

Anyway, Ben came out of middle school a 2x district champ!

We had a really great season with the Einstein group--they were a small but mighty team (thankfully with a favorable weight spread!)