Pain, agony, agony, pain.

At least that's what my body was yelling at me last week after I partook in a Key West High wrestling team's practice, or at least tried to. I could feel my body weakening during the three-hour onslaught and, the day after, my muscles were just simply sore and for the most part numb.

Never quite knowledgeable of the sport, it was truly an eye-opening experience as the Conchs put me through the wringer and literally hung me out wet afterwards. What I did find out is that I am now sure that the wrestling team is the most all-around in-shape and physically-fit team in the entire school.

Now, I might get some grief from other teams about that last comment, but after what I witnessed and attempted to work through, which was about only 50 percent of the practice, I am certain those boys are complete athletes.

They may not have mastered any physical attributes other classmates have perfected, but are certainly jacks-of-all trades. It takes strength, speed, quickness, agility, knowledge, flexibility, technique, stamina and much more to compete as a wrestler.

Imagine powering your legs through a six-minute nonstop sprint, while having to fight for position in the post so you get a shot off on the hardwood. At the same time, fending off a defender so they could not get to the quarterback, but also looking for an opening so you could make an attacking run toward the goal. All the while, flexing your body into a split and using just your arms to swing your opponent into the position you need to make the pin. It is honestly a rigorous sport that requires amazing core strength.

I'll be the first to admit, I'm nowhere close to being in the shape I was during my days of high school. Even then, I'm not sure I could have kept up in the wrestling world. I was knocked to the mat several times during the practice -- partly due to the fatigue of my body, inexperience of proper techniques and unwillingness to injure one of the Conch athletes while performing a WWE move I happened to catch on TV.

Each time I hit with a thud, I gained a bit more knowledge into what not to do, all-the-while tiring until I could no long physically push myself off the mat.

With sweat pouring out of my body, as if I were a leaky faucet in need of a plumber, I did notice that I was not the only one drenched from head to toe. Every athlete on the mat lost at least two pounds of water weight during the practice. Even the coaches were wiping their foreheads, I imagine, from working out their athletes until even the entire staff was tired.

It was definitely a great experience into the world of wrestling and I am interested to watch Key West's first meet this season, just to see what I gained for my beating. I appreciate the coaches allowing their athletes to kick my butt, but I'm sure the pleasure was much greater for them than it was for me.

I weighed 176 pounds entering the practice and before I walked out the door that evening I was down to 174.6, although I think the shorts I was wearing weighed an extra five pounds, at least, with all the sweat they had absorbed.

In the end, I certainly gained a new respect for the wrestlers and the skills they bring to the mat. I was told by the coaches that things only get harder for the squad each practice as they attempt to hone their skills, and that pain is merely weakness leaving the body.

Well, if that's true, then I think I won't be the first in line to volunteer to participate in any other practices this season or maybe ever. I also believe years and years of weakness left my body the days following the workout.

Staff Writer J.W. Cooke's Home Field Advantage column appears exclusively each Wednesday in The Citizen. He can be reached at 305-292-7777, Ext. 261, or at jwcooke@keysnews.com.