"I Can Do Hard Things"
Meet Christin Benson from Papillion, Nebraska
I’m VERY excited to share Christin Benson’s officiating experience at the US Marine Corps 16u/Junior National, IN HER OWN WORDS! Christin has been officiating wrestling for only a few years, so the fact that she was chosen for this prestigious event is a testament to her skill and grit. Congrats, Christin—take it away!
If you would have asked me in April if I was going to throw my name in the hat to officiate at the US Marine Corps 16u/Junior Nationals, or for those in the know, simply "Fargo", I would have told you, "not a chance." I officiate Folkstyle wrestling from October to March, and "off-season" wrestling is Freestyle and Greco, and the rules are VASTLY different, so it can be tough to switch gears. And that was definitely me at the beginning of the FS/GR season. But here's the thing: Freestyle and Greco are actually my favorite styles. The matches move more quickly, they're more exciting, and the rules just make more sense in my brain. Plus, they're the Olympic styles, and there's just something special about that.
Even so, shaking the dust off and switching my brain from Folkstyle to FS/GR was humbling to say the least. But when I feel knocked down, I remind myself of two things: 1) Representation matters. Wrestling has been a man's domain for centuries, but not anymore. Women are joining the sport and raising the bar every year. High schools and colleges are adding sanctioned girls wrestling teams every year, and I want to be part of that growth. 2) I can do hard things. This is my mantra. It's hard to be on the mat. Throwing up points is only one part of the job. I'm also responsible for the safety of the wrestlers and have to react quickly to try and prevent injuries. I need to keep the rules and situational scoring in my mind at all times. So I remind myself that yes, it's hard. But I can do hard things. And I can be great at hard things.
So I persevered and kept learning. I decided to challenge myself just a bit and officiate Northern Plains Regionals in Rochester, MN. This was the best decision I have made thus far in my journey. I had the opportunity to work with some of the best FS/GR officials in the game, who were helpful and encouraging. I left Rochester with more in my toolbox than I ever thought possible, including a much-needed dose of confidence. So I kept working to get better and learn more. As the deadline to sign up for Fargo loomed, I decided to give it a try. A few weeks later, I was notified that I was approved to officiate, so there was no turning back!
I was definitely nervous that first day of Fargo. I mean, this was the "big stage" that has helped elevate many athletes, garnering recognition from colleges and universities across the country. I really just wanted to do my best for them. So every match, that's exactly what I endeavored to do - every match, one at a time. We were told that we would either work the morning session which would be all medal matches for 3rd - 8th place, or we would work Finals, which would start late afternoon. I told my husband we'd have an early day since there's no way a first year ref would be selected to officiate Finals. After all this is the literal BIG STAGE at the big stage. There were 220 officials in Fargo that weekend, many with decades of experience, and only 32 would be selected for finals. As a realist, I could do the math.
But then the assignments came out. My first reaction was that there was clearly a mistake and they had just forgotten to add me to the morning list. I had no real reason to check the Finals list. But I did anyway. And there I was - Christin Benson - M3. I still kind of thought there was a mistake, but there wasn't. So then it was REALLY time for me to remind myself that, "I can do hard things." So I did, over and over. My 17 year old son, also a wrestling official, gave the best advice, "Mom, just treat it like any other match." And he was right. Yes, this was a BIG deal, but every match is a big deal to someone, isn't it?
The finals were everything I imagined they would be - bright lights, excitement, tension, an engaged crowd. And I was ready to do hard things. And this one was amazing. I loved every minute of it. I was thrilled and honored to be a part of it. I was proud of myself for taking a leap of faith and grateful for all the support I had along the way!
