Let’s talk about the ride home.
You know the one I’m talking about.
Your kid just walked off the mat… sweaty, bruised, exhausted. Maybe they won. Maybe they got pinned. Either way, they glance up at you looking for something… a nod, a hug, a “good job.”
But too often, what they get is analysis. Critique. Frustration. A play-by-play of everything they did wrong.
And just like that, the most important relationship in their life… you… starts to feel like another coach, another critic, another pressure they have to survive.
Parents, we mean well. We love our kids. We want them to be tough, to succeed, to learn how to fight for something. Wrestling does that better than anything on Earth.
But if we’re not careful, we end up turning the gift into a burden.
Here’s the truth no one wants to say:
Some kids quit wrestling not because they’re soft… but because the pressure at home became heavier than the pressure on the mat.
And the crazy part? Most parents don’t even realize they’re doing it.
We’re in a generation where some dads care more about the medal count than the kid holding it. Where kids feel like love is earned only after a gold bracket finish. Where winning becomes currency for affection.
That’s not the sport failing them. That’s us.
I’ve coached Olympic-level wrestlers. I’ve sat with parents of 5-year-olds and 25-year-olds. I’ve seen kids come into The Best Wrestler system broken… then come out confident, proud, and whole again… not just because of what we taught on the mat, but because of the culture we build around it.
We teach wrestling, yes. But more than that, we teach family dynamics. We talk to parents. We model the balance between accountability and grace. And we focus on long-term growth, not short-term ego trips.
Here’s the truth that sticks:
Your kid needs your love more than they need your feedback.
They need someone who can sit next to them in the loss without fixing it. Someone who reminds them of who they are, not just what they did.
So how can you help?
Celebrate effort, not just outcomes. Ask them what they learned before telling them what you saw. Be their biggest fan, not their toughest coach. Teach them that your love doesn’t ride on a scoreboard.
Because when that balance clicks, wrestling becomes what it was always meant to be, a forge. A place that builds character, discipline, grit, and humility.
That’s how champions are made. Not just the ones with their hands raised, but the ones who stand tall even when they fall.
If you’re a parent reading this and thinking, “Maybe I’ve pushed too hard…” … good. That means you care.
It’s not too late to shift the narrative. You can still be the reason your kid loves this sport.
At The Best Wrestler, we don’t just train athletes, we train families. We create an environment where kids want to wrestle. Where parents learn how to support without suffocating. Where everyone leaves stronger, together.
Because in the end, this isn’t about wrestling.
It’s about who your child becomes through it.
And whether you’re building a wrestler, or just a better human, that starts with you.
Want to give your wrestler the right environment to grow? Join us at The Best Wrestler. Let’s build something that lasts.
Be The Best! Always!
Georgi I. Ivanov
Olympian | Mentor