Holly, Susan, Amy and Lana;
I have never had a harder time dealing with anything in my life.  I feel as though you are my kids leaving home for the first time.  Saturday at states, I had the hardest time verbalizing what I felt.  As we were sitting there at dinner around the big table, celebrating the win, it was fun, but a little sad.  Holly said it best " I just realized, that was my last H.S. match for Lyman." Yes, I know, we have nationals left, but you all know what I mean.  I watched you guys go from real rookies to State Champs in just 3 years. If you can accomplish this, you can do anything. As you guys go off, starting your lives, remember the lessons that wrestling has taught you.  When your afraid, bear down and work harder, when your tired, look up and don't you quit, when you feel you've lost the most important match, look around at the really important stuff, when you're on your back and you think it might be over, bridge hard one more time.  Wrestling takes guts, you have to overcome your adversary, and yourself.

You have something you will remember for the rest of your life;  Those hours on the mats, sweating, drilling, getting frustrated, getting sick, passing out on the couch after practice. But you will remember that state trophy more than anything.  Every so often, you'll pull that medal out of the drawer, or see it hanging on the wall, and you'll remember.  No one can ever take this time and these memories away from you.  I will forever have you all in my heart, because this is when it started.  I will sorely miss you girls.  I will miss the fun we had, and the laughs we shared, and your pretty faces looking up at me, but I will always have the memories. We set some goals together, and we worked hard until we reached them.  Set some new goals, and don't even think of quitting until you reach them. This is the beginning, not the end. Enjoy life, live like you wrestled, like Champions.

Your Coach