Ask Cael: A Few Questions…

Story Published Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

Regarding your Olympic experience, were you able to enjoy or at least experiece the atmosphere of the Games as a whole, or did the discipline of your event dictate that you had to stay pretty regimented during your entire stay?

I didn’t engage in much of the Olympic experience just because I thought it was better for me to rest and stay focused. I did participate in the Opening Ceremonies, which were pretty cool. The bad thing about the Opening ceremonies was that it took a very long time, with the security and enormity of the event. I think our team got back to our rooms around 4a in the morning. We were staying and training at a university about an hour away from the Olympic Village.

Other then the Opening Ceremonies, I didn’t do much. I wasn’t really there to enjoy the Olympic experience. I just wanted to train, rest, and put myself in the best situation possible to win the gold medal. I was very regimented and disciplined in what I did each day. I was on a strict diet and training plan. Also, getting proper rest was as important as anything I could do at that point.

We were in Athens for three weeks before we competed so it was critical to stay relaxed but focused. The only event I watched was when the marathon ran a block from our hotel. I went to the city a few times with my training partner Tim Hartung and brother Cody to just get away a few times. We went to the city to get some different food and just a get a change of scenery, but were always back in time to get a great night’s rest.

To sort of follow that up; If you were able to take in some of the general atmosphere of the Games did the tone or mood meet your expectations of the traditional Olympic ideals?

There is a different feel and mood at the Olympic Games. Everyone knows what’s at stake. The energy at the Games is incredible. Most of the athletes have dreamed of being at the Olympics since they were little kids. Many have dreamed of winning a gold medal. For me, going into the Games, I couldn’t imagine not winning. Not because I was over confident, just because I had planned on winning the gold medal since I was 5-6 years old and this was my chance. With that sort of expectation, the mood and tension was sharp.

At the actual event, it is just like any other world championships. The only difference is that the cameras were broadcasting the event world wide.

For me:
I am an old beginner training in Krav Maga, and also a big fan of mixed martial arts. I know throughout the history of the UFC, guys with an elite wreslting background have had a great deal of success. I was wondering if you, the most elite wrestler out there, had ever been tempted to take up the sport?

I have thought about it a few times just because it looks like a lot of fun. When I was just getting out of competing in 2004, there wasn’t a huge draw for wrestlers to go into mma like there is today. I am so busy and focused on building a NCAA national championship team that thoughts of mma are nothing more then entertainment. I didn’t really consider going into mma after I finished wrestling. It is fascinating though.

Also, I am studying sport psychology, and have become interested in stress-coping strategies and arousal/anxiety management, particularly as these topics relate to endurance and combat sports. From what I have read, Penn State has a pretty significant Sport Psyc department. I was wondering if your team makes use of them as a resource during the season, or if they make use of your team as a research resource?

Penn State does have a great sport Psyc dept that is available to them when they choose to use it. We all know that most of life is mental, especially in sports. A huge part of a coach’s job is to help athletes believe in themselves and to help them learn to control their minds.

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