Eyesight problem doesn't stop young wrestler

Ten-year-old Kyle Bradley can't see well enough to recognize his wrestling opponents. But, that doesn't keep him from pinning most of them.

Ten-year-old Kyle has a degenerative eye disease called retinoschisis. That's a genetic disease for which there is no treatment or cure and eventually may lead to blindness.

But, the fifth grader at Fairmount Elementary School in St. Charles County wanted to participate in athletics.

"I couldn't play baseball but the doctor said I could play soccer and participate in wrestling," he said.

So far, he's doing just fine, thank you.

Earlier this year, he earned All-American status by finishing third in the USA National Championships. He wrestled in the 65-pound weight class for 10 years olds. After losing one match, he fought back to win six matches in a row to get third place.

The last day of the tournament was on his birthday, April 1.

Then, on Memorial Day Weekend, he wrestled in three different styles at the Tulsa (OK.) Ironman Championships. He finished first in freestyle and third in Greco-Roman and folkstyle wrestling.

In the Missouri Show-me Games, he finished first in his wrestling class and then was a member of the Ultimate Machine soccer team that took first place honors.

In wrestling, Kyle usually can't see well enough to recognize his opponent. "I can't see people's faces, but I remember what clothes they are wearing," he said. And he recognizes movement.

Wrestling is a hand-to-hand sport where touch and feel is more important.

And, in soccer, he said, "I can see the white ball against the green grass."

Asked about his biggest problem in wrestling, he said, "I can't see the scorer's table or the time remaining." He said his coach or father. Randy, shout to him during the match.

Kyle has some role models in sports. On of his favorites is Erik Weihenmayer. He's the guy who recently completed a climb of the world's tallest mountain, Mount Everest. Erik is blind with the same disease that Kyle has.

Kyle's mother, Annette, recently bought Kyle a copy of Weihenmayer's inspirational book. It's titled, "Touch the Top of the World."

Right now, Kyle's eyesight is stable. But, he has only 20-80 vision in his right eye and 20-100 in his left eye. Normal vision is 20-20.

He has to use special magnifiers and large print books for his school work. He's also working hard to become a touch typist so he'll be able to handle a computer even if his eyesight gets worse.

Asked about future goals, he said, "I want to wrestle in the 2012 Olympic Games."

He isn't worried about his future size. The slender Kyle said, "All of the good wrestlers are small anyway."

One of his favorite wrestlers is Sammie Henson, who went to school in the Francis Howell School District, where Kyle lives. Henson is a world champion wrestler and also is small.

Kyle has been playing soccer since he was five but didn't start wrestling until three years ago. He has a regular conditioning program but has stayed away from weight-lifting. Many doctors and trainers usually discourage weight training for kids until the "growth plates" on their bones are done growing.

His conditioning consists of running two miles a day and then doing 100 situps and pushups each day. He usually splits the situps and pushups to 50 of each in the morning and 50 more at night.

"I also got a 'power tower' for my birthday a year ago," he said. That allows him to vary some of his exercise routine. He also does "leg raises" on the fireplace hearth. They help lengthen and strengthen his Achilles tendons.

Another role model for Kyle is Olympic wrestler Brandon Slay. Asked what he likes about him, Kyle said, "He's a Christian."

Kyle has copied Slay's habit of stenciling a Bible verse on his wrestling knee pads.

Kyle's verse is Psalms 144:1. It says, "Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle."