The Only Thing

Will two combatants in a hard-fought wrestling match overcome their differences and uncover what really matters?

With the score tied at 9, and only 26 seconds left, will Bobby McCoy complete his escape and take the lead, or will Jackie James put Bobby on his back and seal the victory? For both teenagers, winning the high school wrestling match is crucial. Bobby needs the victory to show his demanding father that he is tough, and thereby secure his future; Jackie needs to impress the college football coaches in the stands that he is a winner who deserves a full-ride athletic scholarship.

The stakes could not be higher for either Bobby or Jackie. Will they do whatever it takes to win? At this moment, winning is . THE ONLY THING that matters.

But after the match, an unexpected conversation changes everything.

Join Bobby, his teammates, and Jackie as they navigate their way through life in February of 1971 in Columbus, Ohio. Against a backdrop of enveloping historical events, including the Vietnam draft, school segregation, and other issues of the day, they discover the only thing that really matters.

Dave Horning is proud of his high school and collegiate wrestling career. In college, while wrestling for Cornell University in the 126-pound weight class, he was able to defeat an NCAA Champion . . . in the coin toss at the start of the second period . . . before being pinned halfway through. But, hey, at least he made it through the first period!

Mark Wilson studied at the Disney School of Animation taught by the Disney animators in Burbank, California. He worked for a publisher of children's books and is now a freelance artist. Mark's wrestling career was for just one day in middle school gym class because his gym shorts were too short, and he was insecure about girls being able to see his underwear.

Limus Woods is a Professional Writer/Editor who has wrestled with words and sentences for much of his adult life. That's as close as he has ever gotten to wrestling, other than being a huge fan of WWF growing up. You can find him on LinkedIn, or somewhere in Myrtle Beach reading near the ocean.