Springfield, Mo -- Since the days of the first Olympics the sport of wrestling has been a means to test ones physical and mental limits in one on one combat.
Although he is no stranger to tournaments, Sgt. Jered A. Parker, a Marine Recruiter with Recruiting Station Kansas City, pitted himself against fellow wrestlers in the Missouri Winter Games, wrestling at the 170Lbs weight class.
“I have competed in about 30 tournaments and I have won about 23 of them,” Said Parker. “My junior year in high school I won my district.”
Despite the fact that wrestling is a team sport the teams overall score is determined by individual one on one matches, putting greater responsibility on the wrestler to perform at their best.
To do this a competitor must arm himself with both physical and mental skills, several of these skills are ingrained in the basic tenants of being a Marine.
“Self-discipline and perseverance, most people quit when things get hard but that is not something that a Marine does,” said Parker. “It's you versus one other person and if something does not go your way you only have yourself to blame.”
Due to the ever changing nature of the sport a combatant must keep their skills honed and continue to grow from what they already know.
“Always be learning new techniques, and put in the time in workouts or practice to get better,” said Parker.
Much like succeeding in wrestling every Marine must continue to work and practice to hone their skills at being a Marine, Sgt. Parker has shown dedication and hard work can make you proficient at both.