My Dad, My Heart, Our Sport我的爸爸，我的心，我們的運(yùn)動

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.

我第一次踏上摔跤墊是在六歲的時候，但我所有的家人都喜歡說我從出生那天起就開始接觸摔跤了。那是因?yàn)槲野职衷?jīng)是一名摔跤教練，非常熱衷于這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動。他曾指導(dǎo)過州冠軍，他不斷推動他們登上勝利領(lǐng)獎臺的頂峰。之后，他們都說他們多么愛他。我十二歲時，爸爸就不再執(zhí)教了，但他從未放棄自己對這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動的熱愛。

他從來沒有強(qiáng)迫我像他以前的摔跤手那樣贏。也許爸爸看到我缺乏他們的技能或心理韌性。或者他自責(zé)沒有遺傳給我成為一名優(yōu)秀運(yùn)動員所需的天賦。不管怎樣，盡管他盡量不表現(xiàn)出來，但我能看到我輸?shù)舯荣悤r他眼中的傷痛。他并不是感到失望；我想他是為我感到難過。

我知道自己的局限性（大多數(shù)對手都更快）和優(yōu)勢（因?yàn)榘职郑抑栏嗟膭幼鳎谖疑细咧兄埃也]有認(rèn)真對待這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動。殘酷的事實(shí)是，如果你想在摔跤比賽中獲勝，你必須認(rèn)真對待它，或者，正如爸爸會說的：“你必須全身心地投入，兒子。投入到這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動中去。”

爸爸是對的。

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.”

當(dāng)我加入高中校隊(duì)時，我全身心投入，全年都在訓(xùn)練———由爸爸帶頭。他和我經(jīng)常在一起。在春天、夏天和秋天，我在爸爸的指導(dǎo)下舉重，在爸爸的計(jì)時下跑步，并從爸爸那里學(xué)習(xí)高階動作，以提高我在摔跤墊上的技術(shù)。“你必須比其他人做得更多。”爸爸建議我說，“僅僅在賽季里練習(xí)是不夠的。如果你想在任何事情上取得成功，這就是你必須做的。”

在賽季中，他會在看臺上觀看比賽，我會在我的比賽結(jié)束后和他一起在露天看臺上聽取他的點(diǎn)評。……