As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend – Proverbs 27:17
Wrestling is a dichotomy. On one hand, it is an individual sport. This individuality is
what draws many people to wrestling. Unlike sports such as basketball, football, or
baseball, the errors of a teammate cannot cause you to lose a match, nor can the
outstanding performances of a teammate cause you to win a match. In that sense, wrestling
is individual, and to a degree, you can improve or hinder your likelihood of success with the
effort that you put into training and preparation for matches or tournaments. However,
when you look at programs that have consistent success, it is undeniable that wrestling has
a team aspect of the sport that is vital to being able to perform and compete at the highest
level.
First, while it is true that no one else is on the mat to help you, your success on the
mat comes from the hours of preparation that you put in prior to the actual match. An
important principle in mindset training is the concept of accountability. When you have
teammates and solid drill partners that share a common goal, you will be able to go further
and experience more success than you ever would on your own. It is so easy to compromise
on any goals that have when you do not have someone holding you accountable for your
actions. There are countless things that can come up in life that can distract you from being
able to reach your goal. When you have teammates that share a common objective, those
teammates will be able to push you even when you do not want to be pushed. Moreover,
you will be able to push your teammates even when they don’t want to be pushed. As
legendary entrepreneur Henry Ford stated, “if everyone is moving together, then success
takes care of itself.”
Furthermore, there is undoubtedly a force of momentum that goes along with
watching your teammates win. As a team, you are all working and striving towards the
same objective. When you see your teammates win, you know the hard work and
dedication that came together to make that win possible, and this sparks a sort of energy
and momentum. It is evident especially in dual team matches. When a team starts to win a
couple matches back to back, you can look at the bench and see an energy starting to
accumulate as the entire team gets invested into the match. As one person wins it is as if
the entire team wins. While it is true that there is definitely a large individual component to
wrestling, there is an undeniable team aspect of the sport that is vital for success!