How Wrestlers Who Start in 9th Grade Beat Wrestlers Who Start in Kindergarten
I always thought it was amazing that a wrestler who started wrestling in 9th grade can get good enough to beat a wrestler who started in kindergarten. In the past, I would think to myself, how is this possible?
Scientifically, research suggest that those who practice more will be better than those who practice less. Pop-culture sums this up as the 10,000-hour rule of thumb. Surely, a wrestler who starts as a kindergartener has a better chance of reaching 10,000 hours than a wrestler who starts in 9th grade.
However, in addition to time, there is one other variable in the 10,000-hour formula that many parents forget when they start their kids wrestling in kindergarten. Focus!
An hour of wrestling practice is not an hour of practice for everyone. Each second of wrestling practice is not equal to each wrestler. The more focus an athlete has during practice, the more they get out of practice. Therefore, a 6-year-old may only get 10 to 15 minutes out of each hour of practice.
Moreover, a wrestler who starts in kindergarten who does not love practice by the time he or she is in 9th grade, is still not going to get an hour of practice out of an hour of practice in high school. On the other hand, a wrestler who starts in 9th grade who loves to practice and is determined to get better will get the full 60 minutes out of each hour of practice.
By their senior year, the wrestler who started in 9th grade can equal or surpass the total amount of practice time of the wrestler who started in kindergarten. This is how a wrestler who seemingly has far less experience is able to win.