Week 3 --Prompt

Entering the parking lot of the Skowhegan High School, I think wow there are a lot of people here today for the home wrestling meet. Quietly, I enter the school acknowledge the people at the table gathering admission fees.  There are several of them behind the table, couple of them taking money, couple of them chit, chatting as they are trying to fold and organize t-shirts and sweatshirts that will be for sale. Over on the other side is the concession booth. I can smell the onions they have cooking on the electric griddle with the hotdogs. Parents and children waiting in line to get some snacks.

After paying my admission fee, I enter the gymnasium where the kids will be wrestling. Making my way up into the bleachers, I quietly sit and watch. There are many things going on. Coaches and wrestlers are gathering in different areas of the gym. With each team you can see the gathering of family and friends that have come to watch the kids wrestle. Leaning against the wall are men standing and appear to be having conversation. The bleachers are filling more and more as spectators are entering.

Most of the gym floor is covered with mats for the wrestling matches to take place. There seems to be eight different places where the matches will take place. I can tell this as there are eight tables set up with point cards hanging in the front and are numbered one through eight. Each table has at least three people at them if not more. The head table appears to be very busy with staff and coaches trying to get things set to get the matches under way.

There are adults and children every where you look. On the mats are many kids, some wrestlers and some aren't. Some kids are warming up and others just raising hell. People are up and down the bleachers, heading to the bathroom, or out to get something to eat or drink, back and forth they come and go.

Then somewhere mixed up in the noise and commotion of the events you hear baffled in there somewhere, Clear the mats please. Please clear the mats. Along with the announcement you see ref and other staff ushering the kids off the mats. I can see them going to their perspective area, as the colored singlets start grouping together. Then you hear all rise for our National Anthem. Everyone standing, most hats removed, most showing respect to the flag. As the National Anthem is played.

At the end of the National Anthem you hear names being called as the wrestlers head to their specified mats for the opening matches of the day.