Minutemen Youth Wrestling

We got up a little later than expected (6 AM) to leave for airport. Got there, checked in and on flight for 8:30 AM, left at 9:00 AM. Flight was ok - 1.5 hrs long pretty much up and down. Day started by getting up and out at 6 am and into hotel for night at 11 pm. The boys are staying at Dr. Tom´s with Coah Day. Parents are in an Intercity Hotel about 20 minutes away. Neither are near much but boys have a lot to do at Dr. Tom´s. We left hotel at 6:30 pm to pick up boys and head to Dr. Tom´s church for Sunday night service. They had converted a brick machine type shop into a church. Tile floors throughout andvery night. We took up have the seating and there were about 30 local members. Dr.Tom gave a sermon on the 5 things neededto be a great wrestler. They are 1. Stamina 2. Speed, 3. Balance, 4. Attach;Counter Attack and 5 Strength. He gave the sermon in English and Portugue. It was interesting and then we each received a basket that was hand made from thewomen of the church. There we candy and small donuts as well as some other small gifts that were lovely. I´m sure some of you will be getting them when we return. We then went to dinner at Brazilian place that had a show after you ate this was 9 PM. It was 2 guys and 3 girls doing dances to music with a live band. They did dance with swords and balls on rope that they swung around. It was entertaining. We then dropped the boys off and parents returned to the hotel at 11:15 PM. Today parents are leaving 7:45 AM to pick up boys and go to 2 schools to do demonstratations.

Well today started early. We were down stairs for a bus at 7 AM to get to the facility where we were going to wrestling. They thought it would take 45 minutes but took 30 so we got there early. We then waited to get in but once in were able to warm-up. We then waited for the other team to show-up and the Minister of the Federation for the area. (He didn´t show up until we had started wrestling). It was a long day as we finished at 3 pm and headed back to have lunch and then watch the soccer game. It was set up as a tournament with 2 or 3 people in each bracket so that most wrestler´s would get a medal. There was some exciting matches. CJ McCormack started the day off going against a Giant! He lost but did well for the Yankees. The next couple of wrestlers made some mistakes while holding their own. Here are the place finishes for the team: Ryan Bisson: 2nd Place Won one match Joe Barrett: 1st place Won one match Jack Rudy: 1st Won first match by fall and then lost exhibition to JR. Ethan Berube: 2nd Place - was winning a match before getting turned and pinned. Matt Dygus: 3rd Place Jamie L.: 3rd Place - He got the award for most matches on the day. Shayne Day: 2nd - Wrestled Greco Roman and against a big guy. Did well! Craig O: 2nd Place Mike Crowe: 3rd Place - tough bracket Spencer Polaske: 2nd Place Kevin Moss: 1st Place `Pin and a Forfeit JR: 1st Place 2 Pins Tyler Hull: 3rd Place - he too wrestled a lot of matches. Ryan Vujs: 2nd Place Josh Puzio: 3rd Each boy got a nice certificate that they will hopefully bring home in nce piece. Each parent go a medal for sitting in the concrete bleachers all day. They served small cups of coffee, soda, finger food, water and fruit throughout the day to everyone in attendance. Tomorrow we leave at 8:35 for Porte Allegra. This is a change from a 7 am flight so we are all veryt happy to sleep a little longer. Many of us watched the soccer game down stairs in the hotel ´pub on big screen tv´s. They closed down the whole country during the game. After the game the adults stayed and did some Karaoke - Jason Seagl does a mean ``I Feel Like a Women`` he even had a back up group, Then CJ sang some Brazilian songs with Kenya and we finished up with alittle ``Sweet Caroline``, Coach Day was ready for some Billy Joel but they closed Karaoke until 8:30. We had a little time before going out to dinner at our favorite restuarant and eating too much. I think CJ is still eating...... The team has paid their bills for water from their rooms and are packing (Hopefully they can get everything back into thier suitcases.) Well that~´s it for now. Off to find CJ for one nightcap and make sure he is ready to go in the morning - to Porte Allegra.

Just to clarify we are leaving on Saturday late and should arrive in NY and be home in Berlin around 1 PM. This is the latest. If it changes I´ll let you know. Remeber be flexible!!

Today the weather was nice. Sun was out fo most of the day. We left this morning at 10:00 AM to go to practice at the same place. Today their coach lead practice. The boys did warm-ups that they do and picked them up quickly. Some had more trouble than others. We then drilled a low single that if mastered by some should be a great move during the season. We got back and headed out for lunch. Today we went to a different place but was smaller and was a buffett so everyone ate plenty. We did a little street shopping near the restaurant and then drove to downtown section of Sao Paulo. Saw an old church and at the square there were many people some preaching politics others selling things. They were renovating the park but saw some shanties that people were living in. We then traveled through some other older sections. Tomorrow morning we leave at 6:45 AM to go 45 minutes to where we will have our competition. Some wrestlers will have one match and others will have more.´ After that we will return and get ready to watch the big football game together as a team, GO BRASIL! Everyone is doing fine and having a good time.

Well hello everyone back home. We arrived safe and sound on Wednesday morning at 7 am local time. Got through Customs and all the luggage made it without a problem. We then traveled 45 minutes from airport to hotel and cheked in around 9:30 AM. We had the time to eat breakfast at the hotel buffet before free time for the kids with little to do here. The adults walked around checking on local stores and stopping a a small grocery store for some items. Big bottle of water was only 85 Reives which is about 43 cents sow will stock up on that for the boys. We then went out to lunch at a Brazilian Buffet. It was about $12.00 US for the most amazing meal. Salads, seafood shrimp quail eggs boiled, sushi, potato salad. they then bring around all the beef on skewers and cut it off for you. choices werer steak, chicken pork, sausage, chicken hearts, ribs, brisket and it was all melt in your mouth. You need to take the boys to West Hartford when they get back for a taste. Thursday morning Jack Rudy, JR and Jamie were the first down and were able to have breakfast in hotel. The rest of the team got down at 9 and we left at 9:15 for 10 minute trip to sports complex. We started with warm ups and then brok into small groups. There were only 2-3 Brazlian wrestlers when we started. As we worked out about 5-8 big guys came in that CJ McCormick got to wrestle with. Then some other middle weights and finally 2 girls in the lower weights. They drilled for about 45 minutes then did some conditioning and and finished up at about 11:30 AM with handshakes and smiles. We headed back to hotel for showers and another 1 PM trip to resturant for buffet again. (Everyone seems to be liking the food part). This afternoon we will take medicines to church to be given to missions and then to a mall for shoping. Today is sunny and about 65 degrees. We will be watching Brazil on TV Saturday after we have a competition with the wreslers we ahve been working out with today and tomorrow. More to come.