The Greco-Roman team at the United States Olympic Education Center (USOEC) at NMU has been successful this year with athletes placing at tournaments both nationally and internationally as well as athletes earning spots on USA Wrestling national teams.

All this competition has been getting the team the experience they need to get prepared for the most important tournaments of the season: U.S. Senior Nationals and University World National Team trials.

Junior wrestler Ryan Hope said he is looking forward to any international competition he can get to further his wrestling game.

“Every time you are able to train or compete internationally, especially to go over to Europe, it’s a benefit to your wrestling; they do it totally different over there,” Hope said. “Americans have more determination and heart in our wrestling style; foreigners are more technical with years of experience to make their game strong.”

Along with training a different style of wrestling, Hope says the opportunity to train with new people has its perks too.

“Getting that different atmosphere gives you a better opportunity to wrestle new people, you get to try what you’ve been working on all year with people you haven’t been training with,” Hope said.

Hope also appreciated experiencing a different culture when he goes overseas, he comes back home to the U.S. every time more grateful for the amenities we have here when compared to other countries.

“Traveling helps us grow as people too, you go over to other countries where food supplies aren’t like ours, you come back and don’t take the MP for granted,” Hope said.  “Makes you mature really quick. I come out of international training not only new wrestling skills, but a new outlook on life, an appreciation for living where I do.”

Another international competitor, junior Aaron Briggs of Arizona, also feels the need for international competition and training is vital to training for even national competition.

“If you want to be successful internationally, you need to compete internationally, the more wrestlers you get exposed to, the more dynamic your style can be,” Briggs said.

Even though the international competition is important, he still looks forward to competing against the best the nation has to offer.

Briggs is looking forward to what promises to be a great quad against the United States Marine Corps here in Marquette next Wednesday March 16 6:00 p.m. at Westwood High School. He’s more excited about the meet than worried about it being so close to Senior Nationals that is being held in less than a month.

“I think the quad is beneficial because it’s a formatted event. You get the same excitement that you get thrown into in a real live competition scenario,” Briggs said. “The Marines are tough, the guy in my weight class and I are tied, so I’m looking forward to the match.”

He really enjoys the challenges coming up in the next few months, especially with the Olympic year coming up.

“The U.S. Open and University World Team trials are going to set the tone for the Olympic year.  I’m very nervous and excited about that because a lot of things have changed in my weight class,” Briggs said. “My weight class is very deep. And it’ll be really rewarding getting into that mix and setting a tone.”

Head coach Rob Hermann is also looking forward to the upcoming events, he feels the team has been doing exactly what they need to be doing to be successful.

“Practices are getting shorter, more circuit training than lifting for weight, focusing on getting heart rate up,” Hermann said. “We are working on technical, mental, physical, preparedness.”

He told the team they will be doing more matches in practice in order to prepare them mentally and physically for the tournaments coming up.

“I told the guys we are doing more matches to get them in a game plan mode,” Hermann said. “Controlling their breathing, getting them in situations that are like real matches.”

Hermann knows his team is ready, they just need to get themselves into the right mindset.

“Doesn’t matter what I think, the guys have to be ready to wrestle. They need to keep on working on weaknesses and maintaining strengths and we’ll be good,” Hermann said. “I think we are ready to go.  The guys are training hard; when you mention the USOEC, I know they’ll think we are doing the right stuff up here.”