Redshirted wrestler Jarod Trice wins at Midlands, training for Olympics
In two days Jarod Trice had four matches decided by two points or less.
Trice is taking an Olympic redshirt this season from CMU for the opportunity to compete for Team USA in the upcoming 2012 Olympics. He competed unattached to CMU.
The heavyweight title match at the Midlands Championships followed suit with his previous bouts.
His perseverance helped him as he defeated Bobby Telford of Iowa 3-2 in overtime on Dec. 28. It was his third overtime bout of the tournament held in Evanston, Ill.
“When I wrestle, I usually attack and defend really well. In those close matches I know in my heart I want to win,” Trice said.
CMU head coach Tom Borrelli admires Trice’s work ethic for winning the championship despite training for a different style of wrestling.
“That says a lot about his ability to win matches because he really hasn’t been training for that,” Borrelli said. “He had a lot of long, grueling matches and figured out how to win every one of those matches.”
Trice has been training for freestyle wrestling where the longest a match can last is six minutes. Collegiate wrestling uses a folkstyle approach which Trice had to adjust back to.
“The transition was a little difficult because I am more on my feet in freestyle and in five matches this weekend, I wrestled a total of 59 minutes,” Trice said.
He admits he could feel the effects of more enduring matches.
“My body was a little fatigued the second day, because I wasn’t used to wrestling in two day tournaments,” Trice said.
The two-time All-American also won the Midlands in 2009 and finished runner-up last season.
Facing a friend.
Trice was a couple of matches away from facing his friend in the championship match, CMU senior Peter Sturgeon.
Their relationship has grown this year training together in Mount Pleasant.
“We have a real good relationship,” Trice said. “He’s competitive. He doesn’t like to lose. And the mistakes that he makes, he makes sure he doesn’t do them again.”
Trice was an All-American the past two seasons for the Chippewas while accumulating a 56-10 record. He was 10-0 in Mid-American Conference matches.
Although Trice is not competing for CMU, he is still training with the team and has been helping Sturgeon develop on the mat.
“I think him and Peter have helped each other,” Borrelli said. “But the tough part for Jarod right now is his focus is on a different style then the folkstyle we wrestle in college.”
Despite the difference in style, Trice admires Sturgeon’s work ethic.
“He is always looking to improve,” Trice said. “I’m here to help him this year to hopefully be a national champion.”
Going for Gold.
Trice is heading to Maryland soon to train before competing at the Dave Schultz Invitational in February.
Then he goes to Cuba to prepare for the Olympic trials which begin in April.
“I am really amped to be able to go to Cuba to train and compete there,” Trice said. “This has been a goal ever since I started wrestling.”
This will be the second Olympics while Trice has been in college. He admits he was not mentally ready the first time around.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I just couldn’t let it pass me this year,” Trice said determined. “My freshman year in college was also an Olympic year, but I wasn’t quite ready to compete at the next level yet. Now that I’m older, I’m ready to go for the gold.”
Borrelli believes Trice has what it takes to compete in the Olympics.
“Jarod’s a winner,” Borrelli said. “He just has the will to win.”
