It takes a village

Wrestling can be an extremely intense sport to not only participate in but watch from the crowd. From the quick moves to the tight squeezes, a person is often on edge during the duration of a match.

A unique point of view is that of a parent watching their child play a sport. The emotional experience it can be, from the highs of victory to the lows of defeat and everything in between, are different for each parent.

“There is nothing quite like watching your child wrestle whether it is at six years or 16. Your heart is on that mat with them,” Heather Fenton said.

Fenton, mother to sophomore wrestler Landon Fenton, said she gets very nervous during the matches and often “pops” some chocolate or brushes her teeth to calm her nerves. She also does a lot of jumping as the match progresses.

“(My husband) Paul appears calm and keeps the nerves hidden. However, he has a ‘wrestling’ voice that we only hear during matches,” Fenton said. “At the end of the day, we both feel like we’ve been hit by a train.”

Darin Drake, father to junior Payton Drake, said watching his son is the best feeling in the world. He said he’s calmed down a lot in the stands since watching him as a youth but he still gets excited when the first whistle blows.

“I still get very emotional, still have the same fire in myself that I have always had when he’s on the mat,” Drake said.

Senior parent Amber Wallace went through a range of emotions as she watched her son, Cody, make his way through each meet to a state tournament berth.

“Regional duals when Cody beat the Carlisle kid finally, it was intense. Districts were insanely emotionally awesome,” Wallace said. “When your wrestler has been at this for four years and they finally make that final step to be a state qualifier, it was unbelievable. We were extremely proud.”

Right along side the parents is the PCM wrestling family, a term used repeatedly by those associated with the program in social media and conversation. More than just a team, the family is a group of people who know what each other is going through and a support system for both the athletes and their families.

“It is truly a second family,” Wallace said. “We do things together through the year. I know that other families support my kid and keep him focused.”

Drake said you know exactly what each and every parent/grandparent is going through because he is also going through it. The ups and the downs and the reality of raising a teenager at the same time.

“Let’s be honest, it’s not easy dealing with a wrestler during the season,” Drake said. “You cheer for each family’s wrestler just as hard as your own. There is so much support from the coaches and fans and most of all the parents at PCM. During wrestling season you feel like you have 14 sons and the parents are like siblings.”

Wrestling has been a part of the Fentons’ life since they were in junior high, with Heather as a sister of a wrestler and Paul participating himself. As the years passed, each of their sons wrestled at some point, as well.

“It helps to know the other families are going through the same feelings/experiences and are there to support,” Fenton said.

With the season wrapped up with five medalists at the state tournament along with a lifetime of memories for the team, moving on from wrestling doesn’t mean leaving it behind.

“I truly believe that wrestling teaches a lot about real life and how to overcome adversity and defeat with integrity,” Fenton said. “Life isn’t all about wrestling, but it can sure teach you a lot about life.”

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com