No Excuses

The following is from No Excuses by Kyle Maynard. 

"In my heart I deserved to win the match. I had invested so much time and effort, so much sweat and passion, into prepare for this moment that preparation itself was now the source of my fear. I was never afraid of the hard work and dedication that wrestling demanded of me -- instead, I was afraid of experiencing the heartbreak of defeat after all the relentless training that had brought me to this point. I was no stranger to that fear, but know this could be my final match made it more acute.

Now I had to plow my body into my rival; I had to dominate not just his muscles but his mind; I had to drive him to submit.

While I was stronger, we all knew this wrestler had the advantage of agility and speed. We analyzed and planned, coming up with dozens of tactics to use or avoid -- but I new that winning, as always, was ultimately a matter of desire.

Yet I still believe that everyone on the wrestling mat is equal, competitors standing on even ground. Everyone learns the same rules, steps on the same scale to weigh-in, walks onto the same mat alone, and listens for the same referee's whistle to start the match. I knew from experience that a clever, well-trained, and determined wrestler could always beat a buff, but unprepared, opponent. The key is using everyone of your God-given abilities, not just strength, to the utmost.

Since the age of eleven, I've had a passion for wrestling. I'm a competitor. I believe that anyone can conquer any obstacle if they truly want it more than anything else; if they are ardent in their work; and if they refuse to be stopped by any barrier.

I've met people who wonder why I wrestle. Am I attempting to prove something to the world? Am I trying to have people fell sorry for me? Or am I simply trying to make friends, to be the token member of the team? Some people can't see the trust -- that regardless of my physical differences, I am as fierce a competitor on the inside as anyone can be. On my shoulder is a tattoo of a tiger; that how I think of myself, and that's how I fight.

I am an athlete driven by competition. Without the sport of wrestling, I would not be where I am today. There are so many problems and difficulties that I will never have to endure because of the character I've developed through wrestling. It is my discipline and my passion.

It was Dan Gable, one of the greatest wrestlers and coaches of all time, who said, 'Once you've wrestled, everything else in life becomes easy.' No phrase describes my life better.

My philosophy is simple: No excuses."

Kyle became one of the top high school wrestlers in the state of Georgia. In 2005, he broke the world record in the modified bench press by lifting 360 pounds -- three times his body weight. He is currently a student at the University of Georgia.