thedrifter
09-15-06, 07:46 AM
Friday, September 15, 2006
Wrestling with his past
Eaton says the sport helps him adjust to coming home after being in Iraq.
By JAIME CÁRDENAS
The Orange County Register
Santa Ana's Tom Eaton would feel a tug or hear a whisper before his wrestling matches last year. They were inner demons, stuff Eaton had developed from being in a combat zone in Iraq.
Eaton, 28, a sniper with the Marines, had just come back from his latest, and last, tour of duty to Iraq and was having a hard time getting back to a non-military life. But wrestling helped him.
The Dons wrestling team captured the state title for the first time since 1974 last season, and five of its wrestlers - including Eaton - captured All-American honors. The team provided an escape, allowed him to forget the personal stuff he was dealing with. "Wrestling allowed me to say, 'This is something I need to shoot for,'" Eaton said. "Just like in my faith, I have something when there is stuff going around me to look at and say, 'This is what's getting me through in a spiritual sense and an emotional sense.'"
Wrestling provided that for Eaton "but in a very physical way."
Wrestling also replaced a camaraderie void he said he felt when he got back from Iraq.
"That was something I was lacking and missing," he said. "For me, to join the team and get another hit of that camaraderie is what kind of helped me to get through it.
"To be a part of that team and, especially, to see the events that unfolded last season was just great to be a part of. It brings joy to my heart. It was a blessing from God."
Eaton, who Dons coach Vince Silva said would likely be the No. 1 wrestler in the 174-pound weight class entering the season, is the captain of this year's team. He will be in charge of preparing them, much like he was in charge of preparing certain groups while he was in the Marines.
Since 9/11, comparisons to war in sports have been curbed, but Eaton says there are a lot parallels between what he experienced in Iraq and the wrestling team.
Earlier in the week, Eaton found out that two of his teammates on the championship team, including one that was going to be a captain, were declared academically ineligible. It broke him down, Eaton said.
"There's a similarity to that in combat," Eaton said. "I remember stepping into that country (Iraq) and saying, 'I don't know who is going to be with us at the end of this deployment.'"
And that's what happened earlier this week when Eaton found out that the teammates, including Frank Vergara, who was going to be a captain, were ruled ineligible.
"You don't know what tomorrow will bring," Eaton said of being in Iraq. "And that's kind of how it was this week. I saw Frank, and we're going to make it. He's not eligible now, he's not going to be there."
It's a huge loss, but the Dons still remain optimistic heading into Saturday's Mt.San Antonio Meet, their first of the season.
"I'm anxious and excited," Silva said. "The tournament is not a big tournament, by any means, but I just want to see where we are at."
Eaton, who sported a bunch of nicks and cuts on his hands, face and ears, is just excited to be back on the mat. He is excited to still be given a chance to exercise his demons.
"I'm still wrestling with stuff, from Iraq and trying to compete, but because I was able to not be stagnant and have a goal and be focused, it allowed me to wade through that stuff a lot easier than if I wasn't wrestling.
"Wrestling was the perfect thing for me at that time, and even now. I love the sport, but this is a time when the sport really helps me."
CONTACT US: jcardenas@ocregister.com
Ellie
Wrestling with his past
Eaton says the sport helps him adjust to coming home after being in Iraq.
By JAIME CÁRDENAS
The Orange County Register
Santa Ana's Tom Eaton would feel a tug or hear a whisper before his wrestling matches last year. They were inner demons, stuff Eaton had developed from being in a combat zone in Iraq.
Eaton, 28, a sniper with the Marines, had just come back from his latest, and last, tour of duty to Iraq and was having a hard time getting back to a non-military life. But wrestling helped him.
The Dons wrestling team captured the state title for the first time since 1974 last season, and five of its wrestlers - including Eaton - captured All-American honors. The team provided an escape, allowed him to forget the personal stuff he was dealing with. "Wrestling allowed me to say, 'This is something I need to shoot for,'" Eaton said. "Just like in my faith, I have something when there is stuff going around me to look at and say, 'This is what's getting me through in a spiritual sense and an emotional sense.'"
Wrestling provided that for Eaton "but in a very physical way."
Wrestling also replaced a camaraderie void he said he felt when he got back from Iraq.
"That was something I was lacking and missing," he said. "For me, to join the team and get another hit of that camaraderie is what kind of helped me to get through it.
"To be a part of that team and, especially, to see the events that unfolded last season was just great to be a part of. It brings joy to my heart. It was a blessing from God."
Eaton, who Dons coach Vince Silva said would likely be the No. 1 wrestler in the 174-pound weight class entering the season, is the captain of this year's team. He will be in charge of preparing them, much like he was in charge of preparing certain groups while he was in the Marines.
Since 9/11, comparisons to war in sports have been curbed, but Eaton says there are a lot parallels between what he experienced in Iraq and the wrestling team.
Earlier in the week, Eaton found out that two of his teammates on the championship team, including one that was going to be a captain, were declared academically ineligible. It broke him down, Eaton said.
"There's a similarity to that in combat," Eaton said. "I remember stepping into that country (Iraq) and saying, 'I don't know who is going to be with us at the end of this deployment.'"
And that's what happened earlier this week when Eaton found out that the teammates, including Frank Vergara, who was going to be a captain, were ruled ineligible.
"You don't know what tomorrow will bring," Eaton said of being in Iraq. "And that's kind of how it was this week. I saw Frank, and we're going to make it. He's not eligible now, he's not going to be there."
It's a huge loss, but the Dons still remain optimistic heading into Saturday's Mt.San Antonio Meet, their first of the season.
"I'm anxious and excited," Silva said. "The tournament is not a big tournament, by any means, but I just want to see where we are at."
Eaton, who sported a bunch of nicks and cuts on his hands, face and ears, is just excited to be back on the mat. He is excited to still be given a chance to exercise his demons.
"I'm still wrestling with stuff, from Iraq and trying to compete, but because I was able to not be stagnant and have a goal and be focused, it allowed me to wade through that stuff a lot easier than if I wasn't wrestling.
"Wrestling was the perfect thing for me at that time, and even now. I love the sport, but this is a time when the sport really helps me."
CONTACT US: jcardenas@ocregister.com
Ellie