How To Be A Wrestling Champion

Riverside wrestler Tyrone Eatmon knows firsthand the agony of defeat, and he avoids it at all costs.
Ranked sixth nationally among high school wrestlers in the 125-pound class, the junior has managed to wrestle his way to a high school record of 135-4, and has not been pinned since he was in middle school.
"The first time I got pinned, I really felt bad," he said. "I actually cried."
Was that the only time he was ever pinned?
"I got pinned twice in middle school, and I cried the second time too," he added, with a sheepish grin.
It's early in the season, and Eatmon still has an entire year left in his high school career. He's not crying now, but his opponents might be.
Eatmon is a two time state champion, and finished third in the state his freshman year in high school.
On a balmy December night in the Riverside High School gym, the Pirates entertained the Hillside Hornets in a pinning fiesta, taking them down in a 78-0 shut out.
Eatmon didn't wrestle that night; his opponent forfeited.
This nationally ranked wrestler who has only been pinned twice in his life was willing to share some of his secrets to his success.
How does a wrestler perform a double take-down?
Eatmon thought about it
"Well, I can do it better than explain it," he said.
He gave it a shot:
"You take both legs and sweep them to the side. Then you wrap an arm around your opponent's waist and make him lose his balance. You can either ride him after that, or let him back up," he explained.
Sometimes letting your opponent back up after taking him down is an excellent strategy, because a take-down is worth two points. Holding him on his back for up to five seconds is worth up to three points. If the opponent's shoulder blades touch the mat, it's a pin.
Going for the pin is not always the best strategy, especially if you want to rack up a lot of points, Eatmon said.
The more times you complete a successful take-down, the more points you win for your team. It's a risky strategy, but effective for good wrestlers.
Eatmon should know. His all time high score in a single match was. 28 take-down points.
How does a wrestler know when to go for the pin or try to win a match on points?
"I just do what the coach tells me," Eatmon said. "If the coach tells me to pin, I'll pin."
Just like that?
How can he just go out and pin an opponent just because his coach tells him to?
"It's a matter of your willpower," Eatmon said. "It's all in your head. Mind over matter."
The hardest move in wrestling is an escape, especially when you are about to be pinned, Eatmon said.
After those two heartbreaking middle school pins, he's become an expert.
"Just try to grab your opponent's hand, and if you do that, you can escape," he said.
Eatmon is ranked sixth nationally in his weight division. He's a two-time state champ. He's been pinned just twice in his career. He understands and executes effective strategies and has lost just four matches in his high school career.
Without giving up enough secrets to tip off future opponents, Eatmon summed up how to be a wrestling champion in one simple word.
"Work."
His training routine is grueling.
"I practice every day from 2:30 to 5:00 in the afternoon. Then I run from 5:00 to 5:30. When I get home I either run some more or jump rope," he said.
Stretching and flexibility exercises are also part of his strict regimen.
To maintain his 125-pound fighting weight, he constantly diets and works out.
It's working. He's starting to get letters from college coaches all over the country.
What's the aspect of wrestling Eatmon likes best?
"Making weight," he said, flashing that signature grin.
Along the way, Eatmon's learned the hard way what it takes to be a champion, and he's doing what it takes to keep winning.
Eatmon's crying days are long over, but his opponents' tears are still fresh.