Post by Weston Alexander on Nov 22, 2014 21:11:46 GMT
Date: Wednesday, November 19th - 4:01 PM
Location: Ridgewood High School Gymnasium
Mother #1: Have you heard from Coach Hayes?
Mother #2: I haven't heard anything this week.
Mother #3: I heard a rumor that he's sick, though you'd think we'd have heard something from him if he wasn't coming.
The kids are dressed up and ready for training as the mothers are mostly grouped together discussing the absence of their children's coach. The door to the gym opens once again and in steps Weston Alexander, wearing a pair of black sweatpants, a maroon Ridgewood High School sweatshirt, a pair of Oakley sunglasses, and carrying a gym back with the strap over his shoulder. The mothers all looked at him in confusion as he approached the group of them. The kids had now turned their attention to him as well.
Weston Alexander: My apologies for my tardiness. I'm Coach Alexander.
Mother #1: Hello coach. Where is Coach Hayes?
Weston Alexander: Coach Hayes is bedridden unfortunately. I have been handpicked to take over his first practice.
Mother #3: Carter is one of the very best. What makes you fit to replace him?
Weston Alexander: I also have an amateur wrestling background. Aside from that, these youths could benefit from my intelligence. Skill can only get you so far. Wrestling is all about strategy, knowing what your opponent will do before he does it, luring them into a false sense of security, and then... Winning.
Mother #1: There's more than that between the false sense of security and winning.
Weston Alexander: Indeed, but you are mothers, not wrestlers. I'm sure that explaining it to you won't help them in the slightest.
Mother #3: Why you little--
Mother #2: Give him a break, Alexis! I'm sure he knows what he's doing...
Mother #1: Are you sure? Or is it his good looks and charming voice?
The second mother immediately turns pink.
Mother #2: Shut up! It's not his manly jaw, his chiseled abs, his grippable shoulders...
She bites her lip slightly and trails off staring at Weston. The other two mothers who stepped forward to speak to Weston roll their eyes.
Mother #1: Dry your panties, Trish. There are kids in the room. One of them is yours.
Trish: It's not even... Look, Jennifer, that's not the point! I say we give him a chance!
Jennifer: I guess we don't have a choice, do we?
Weston Alexander: Excellent. Can we start practice now or would you like to further examine my credentials?
Alexis: Whatever.
Trish looked adoringly at Weston while the other two glared at him with disdain. The other mothers, content to keep their opinions to themselves, stepped back as well seemingly indifferent on the situation. Weston walked to the middle of the gym and pulled out a clipboard. He looked around and down at the clipboard.
Weston Alexander: Everyone, line up!
The kids cautiously approached and lined up shoulder to shoulder in front of him. He waited until they were all lined up before addressing the clipboard.
Weston Alexander: Roll-call. Chris?
Chris: Here!
Weston Alexander: Scott?
Scott: Here!
Weston Alexander: Davey?
Davey: Here!
Weston Alexander: Danny?
Danny: Here!
Weston Alexander: Kameron?
Two boys: Here!
Weston Alexander: ... With a K?
Kameron: Here!
Weston Alexander: ... With a C?
Cameron: Here!
Weston Alexander: Trevor?
Trevor: Here!
Weston continues through the roster of names and finishes with all present and accounted for.
Weston Alexander: Excellent. Let's get started.
Scott: Coach usually has us run laps for fifteen minutes before we get started.
Weston Alexander: Nonsense. There's no running involved in wrestling.
Scott: He says he wants us a little winded first so we can fight through fatigue while we train.
Weston Alexander: If you think faster, you don't need win a war of attrition.
The kids all look at each other. It's clear that this theory is much different from what they've been taught.
Weston Alexander: Let's work on takedowns. Scott and... Trevor. Face off.
The two named boys line up on the already laid down mat and shake hands.
Weston Alexander: Show me what you know.
The two boys circle each other before locking up. Trevor goes for a takedown as Scott sprawls to block it.
Weston Alexander: Whoa! What was that?
They disengage and look up.
Trevor: I was going for his legs--
Weston Alexander: No, no, I was talking to Scott. What were you doing in there?
Scott: I...
Scott looks confused.
Scott: I was blocking his takedown attempt.
Weston Alexander: No, you don't block the takedown attempt.
Scott: I... I'm sorry... What?
Weston Alexander: Let him take you to the ground. The ground is where you win.
Scott: That doesn't make sense.
Weston Alexander: I see. Who is the best amongst you at takedowns?
The kids look around sheepishly before pointing at Scott. Scott raises his hand to agree with everyone else.
Weston Alexander: Fair enough. Scott, take me down.
Weston stepped forward as Trevor left the mat to rejoin his peers. Scott looked at him skeptically before shaking Weston's hand. Scott lines up and scouts Weston while Weston stands motionless, not attempting to block anything. Scott moves forward decisively and takes Weston down with ease. In the process of the takedown however, Weston uses Scott's momentum to flip the takedown and pin his shoulders to the mat.
Weston Alexander: And that's that.
Weston stands and helps Scott up.
Weston Alexander: You must think. Think outside of the conventional.
Scott: But how are we supposed to do that?
Weston Alexander: Pay attention in science class. Carry through your opponent's momentum. Make them think they're going to take you down easily, then win. Trevor and Scott, go again.
Trevor and Scott line up again and shake hands. They circle each other. Scott dives for the takedown and gets it easily as Weston explained. However, upon hitting the ground, Trevor stays on the defensive trying to push Scott around to no avail.
Weston Alexander: What was that?
Trevor: I tried to carry him over like you said but it didn't work.
Weston Alexander: It didn't work because you're trying to use your power to reposition. Strength has nothing to do with it. They're strength and takedown abilities are their weakness. Let them seal their own fate. Don't try to use your strength for control. Let their control, speed, and strength be their weakness. Go again.
The two lineup and Scott successfully takes Trevor down again but Trevor almost overtakes Scott when he hits the ground as Scott starts to turn but he remains in position. Weston stands them back up and they go again with similar results. Eventually, Trevor cleanly turns Scott over and gains the advantage.
Weston Alexander: Wonderful! That's what we're looking for. Everyone grab a partner and line up.
There are some investment payoffs, some that are almost there, and others that haven't figured it out at all. Weston walks around and offers assistance where he can. Out of nowhere, Chris tries to take Weston down while he's not paying attention but Weston reverses his momentum with ease and pins him down to prove his point.
Weston Alexander: Nice try at least.
Weston stands and Chris returns to his partner, his face flushed with embarrassment. After a half hour of partners alternating their takedowns, Weston blows his whistle to stop everyone.
Weston Alexander: Let's finish up with a fifteen minute jog.
The kids all begin to jog laps around the gym while the mothers continue their discussion.
Jennifer: Carter is going to be pissed when he gets back.
Alexis: I knew he was going to mess everything up.
Trish: He can take me down... Anytime...
Jennifer/Alexis: Damnit!
Fade out...
Location: Ridgewood High School Gymnasium
_________________________________________________
Mother #1: Have you heard from Coach Hayes?
Mother #2: I haven't heard anything this week.
Mother #3: I heard a rumor that he's sick, though you'd think we'd have heard something from him if he wasn't coming.
The kids are dressed up and ready for training as the mothers are mostly grouped together discussing the absence of their children's coach. The door to the gym opens once again and in steps Weston Alexander, wearing a pair of black sweatpants, a maroon Ridgewood High School sweatshirt, a pair of Oakley sunglasses, and carrying a gym back with the strap over his shoulder. The mothers all looked at him in confusion as he approached the group of them. The kids had now turned their attention to him as well.
Weston Alexander: My apologies for my tardiness. I'm Coach Alexander.
Mother #1: Hello coach. Where is Coach Hayes?
Weston Alexander: Coach Hayes is bedridden unfortunately. I have been handpicked to take over his first practice.
Mother #3: Carter is one of the very best. What makes you fit to replace him?
Weston Alexander: I also have an amateur wrestling background. Aside from that, these youths could benefit from my intelligence. Skill can only get you so far. Wrestling is all about strategy, knowing what your opponent will do before he does it, luring them into a false sense of security, and then... Winning.
Mother #1: There's more than that between the false sense of security and winning.
Weston Alexander: Indeed, but you are mothers, not wrestlers. I'm sure that explaining it to you won't help them in the slightest.
Mother #3: Why you little--
Mother #2: Give him a break, Alexis! I'm sure he knows what he's doing...
Mother #1: Are you sure? Or is it his good looks and charming voice?
The second mother immediately turns pink.
Mother #2: Shut up! It's not his manly jaw, his chiseled abs, his grippable shoulders...
She bites her lip slightly and trails off staring at Weston. The other two mothers who stepped forward to speak to Weston roll their eyes.
Mother #1: Dry your panties, Trish. There are kids in the room. One of them is yours.
Trish: It's not even... Look, Jennifer, that's not the point! I say we give him a chance!
Jennifer: I guess we don't have a choice, do we?
Weston Alexander: Excellent. Can we start practice now or would you like to further examine my credentials?
Alexis: Whatever.
Trish looked adoringly at Weston while the other two glared at him with disdain. The other mothers, content to keep their opinions to themselves, stepped back as well seemingly indifferent on the situation. Weston walked to the middle of the gym and pulled out a clipboard. He looked around and down at the clipboard.
Weston Alexander: Everyone, line up!
The kids cautiously approached and lined up shoulder to shoulder in front of him. He waited until they were all lined up before addressing the clipboard.
Weston Alexander: Roll-call. Chris?
Chris: Here!
Weston Alexander: Scott?
Scott: Here!
Weston Alexander: Davey?
Davey: Here!
Weston Alexander: Danny?
Danny: Here!
Weston Alexander: Kameron?
Two boys: Here!
Weston Alexander: ... With a K?
Kameron: Here!
Weston Alexander: ... With a C?
Cameron: Here!
Weston Alexander: Trevor?
Trevor: Here!
Weston continues through the roster of names and finishes with all present and accounted for.
Weston Alexander: Excellent. Let's get started.
Scott: Coach usually has us run laps for fifteen minutes before we get started.
Weston Alexander: Nonsense. There's no running involved in wrestling.
Scott: He says he wants us a little winded first so we can fight through fatigue while we train.
Weston Alexander: If you think faster, you don't need win a war of attrition.
The kids all look at each other. It's clear that this theory is much different from what they've been taught.
Weston Alexander: Let's work on takedowns. Scott and... Trevor. Face off.
The two named boys line up on the already laid down mat and shake hands.
Weston Alexander: Show me what you know.
The two boys circle each other before locking up. Trevor goes for a takedown as Scott sprawls to block it.
Weston Alexander: Whoa! What was that?
They disengage and look up.
Trevor: I was going for his legs--
Weston Alexander: No, no, I was talking to Scott. What were you doing in there?
Scott: I...
Scott looks confused.
Scott: I was blocking his takedown attempt.
Weston Alexander: No, you don't block the takedown attempt.
Scott: I... I'm sorry... What?
Weston Alexander: Let him take you to the ground. The ground is where you win.
Scott: That doesn't make sense.
Weston Alexander: I see. Who is the best amongst you at takedowns?
The kids look around sheepishly before pointing at Scott. Scott raises his hand to agree with everyone else.
Weston Alexander: Fair enough. Scott, take me down.
Weston stepped forward as Trevor left the mat to rejoin his peers. Scott looked at him skeptically before shaking Weston's hand. Scott lines up and scouts Weston while Weston stands motionless, not attempting to block anything. Scott moves forward decisively and takes Weston down with ease. In the process of the takedown however, Weston uses Scott's momentum to flip the takedown and pin his shoulders to the mat.
Weston Alexander: And that's that.
Weston stands and helps Scott up.
Weston Alexander: You must think. Think outside of the conventional.
Scott: But how are we supposed to do that?
Weston Alexander: Pay attention in science class. Carry through your opponent's momentum. Make them think they're going to take you down easily, then win. Trevor and Scott, go again.
Trevor and Scott line up again and shake hands. They circle each other. Scott dives for the takedown and gets it easily as Weston explained. However, upon hitting the ground, Trevor stays on the defensive trying to push Scott around to no avail.
Weston Alexander: What was that?
Trevor: I tried to carry him over like you said but it didn't work.
Weston Alexander: It didn't work because you're trying to use your power to reposition. Strength has nothing to do with it. They're strength and takedown abilities are their weakness. Let them seal their own fate. Don't try to use your strength for control. Let their control, speed, and strength be their weakness. Go again.
The two lineup and Scott successfully takes Trevor down again but Trevor almost overtakes Scott when he hits the ground as Scott starts to turn but he remains in position. Weston stands them back up and they go again with similar results. Eventually, Trevor cleanly turns Scott over and gains the advantage.
Weston Alexander: Wonderful! That's what we're looking for. Everyone grab a partner and line up.
There are some investment payoffs, some that are almost there, and others that haven't figured it out at all. Weston walks around and offers assistance where he can. Out of nowhere, Chris tries to take Weston down while he's not paying attention but Weston reverses his momentum with ease and pins him down to prove his point.
Weston Alexander: Nice try at least.
Weston stands and Chris returns to his partner, his face flushed with embarrassment. After a half hour of partners alternating their takedowns, Weston blows his whistle to stop everyone.
Weston Alexander: Let's finish up with a fifteen minute jog.
The kids all begin to jog laps around the gym while the mothers continue their discussion.
Jennifer: Carter is going to be pissed when he gets back.
Alexis: I knew he was going to mess everything up.
Trish: He can take me down... Anytime...
Jennifer/Alexis: Damnit!
Fade out...
