Lions Pride Sports slams bullying

It’s difficult to fathom how professional wrestlers can teach students about bullying, but wrestlers from Lions Pride Sports brought their anti-bullying campaign to elementary students in Navasota.

The wrestling organization owned by Houston Carson visited John C. Webb Elementary, Brule Elementary and High Point Elementary, Friday, Sept. 6.

Students were taught about three types of bullying by Aaron Presley in a re-enactment by wrestlers Nobe Bryant and Drake Durden. Bryant who won the Lions Pride Sports Championship Saturday, spoke on how he was picked on while playing football (verbal bullying). He said other players picked on him about the size of his ears and nose.

While he was giving his speech to students, 7-foot-tall Durden was in the background making gestures to mimic Bryant.

Bryant was later attacked by Durden (physical bullying) and retaliated by fighting back. Presley stated earlier that anyone caught bullying would be sent to timeout. He didn’t see Durden’s initial attack but saw Bryant retaliate. Against the wishes heard from student chants, Presley sent Bryant to timeout.

While Presley was talking to the students, he caught a glimpse of Durden making posts about Bryant on social media (cyberbullying).

Bryant was released from timeout and Durden took his place. Bryant learned a valuable lesson not to retaliate but to tell a teacher. Students shouted out when asked what they should do when they are bullied, “tell a teacher, tell a teacher.”

Durden apologized to Bryant for bullying him, apologized to Presley for lying about his actions and to the students for not being a good example.

Bryant forgave Durden and students urged them to hug it out. Durden went from being a bully to a friend of the students.

After the anti-bullying campaign was complete, all students were awarded with free tickets to the “Lash Out” wrestling event held in Navasota Saturday.