National Coaches look for more experience in the future
The U.S.’s performance at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens statistically ranked as America’s poorest showing in as much as three decades:
• the freestyle team collected three medals (one gold and two silver), the fewest by the U.S. since 1968 when that team settled for two silver medals;
• the Greco-Roman team earned just one medal — a bronze medal by 2000 gold medalist Rulon Gardner — tying for the fewest since Americans first earned medals in the upper-body style of wrestling in 1984;
• the women’s team, in just its first Olympic competition, earned medals — a silver and bronze — in 50 percent of the four weights, compared to the 2003 World Championships, when the American women captured a medal in seven weights.
Very few people were satisfied with this medal collection, but the national coaches would like their teams to use the experience they gained in Athens. They want many of the 2004 Olympians to continue wrestling through the 2008 Olympics.
"The best thing about (Athens) is that we have a core group of guys who are going to continue through 2008," said freestyle coach Kevin Jackson. "That’s really
going to help us get to where we want to go and give us leadership and experience. Having these guys stay around is a necessity for our success. ""The biggest thing we got was experience; getting to wrestle in the Olympic Games, the biggest show on the planet," said Greco-Roman coach Steve Fraser.
"Athens was a start and could have been better but all four of the first-round matches were against former world champs and we won three of the four," said women’s coach Terry Steiner.
The men’s freestyle team was by far the le
| National freestyle coach Kevin Jackson (left) said the 2004 Olympic team was one of the least experienced in U.S. history. |
That amount of experience pales in comparison to the 1988 and 1992 teams that featured the likes of Bruce Baumgartner, who won nine world-level medals between 1983 and 1995, and John Smith, who captured six gold medals while competing between 1987 and 1992.
"After 2000, we had a number of our (No. 1-rated Americans) retire from the sport," Jackson said. "There used to be a time when you had to beat the man who beat the man who beat the man; just like the situation (at 163 pounds) with Lee Kemp (1978-82) to Dave Schultz (1983-87, ‘93-95) to Kenny Monday (1988-92, ‘96). "We’ve had those type of weight classes in the past.
"We were affected with many of our top guys walking away from the game and not forcing the younger guys to develop mental toughness and the skills that are necessary to be good."
Jackson believes that members of the 2004 team could learn from their experience.
• Silver medalist Stephen Abas (121 pounds) was twice caught in a crotch lift in his 9-1 gold medal loss to Mavlet Batirov of Russia.
"The first time was understandable, we made a mistake and he caught us," Jackson said. "The second time Stephen should have been more aware what was going on and went into a stronger finishing position."
• Eric Guerrero (132) lost both of his pool matches.
"His leg attack finishes were his major area of concentration for him to finish once he got to a leg," Jackson said. "That position was never solidified by Eric. Also his counter offense was a major area of concentration that we didn’t take advantage of opportunities."
• Joe Williams lost a controversial quarterfinal match to Gennadiy Laliyev of Kazakhstan, who pushed the American out of bounds as they broke the clinch in overtime.
"If Joe reacts a little stronger to the clinch position, after the guy unlocked his hands, he would have advanced to the semifinals and given himself a great chance to medal," said Jackson, adding that Williams has committed to 2008 and will train with current Iowa State coach Bobby Douglas.
• Cormier (211.5) won both his pool matches but dropped a semifinal match to Russian Khadimourat Gatsalov before dropping his bronze medal match to Ali Reza Heidari of Iran in overtime.
"I try to tell these guys that you don’t win medals. You take medals," said Jackson, who won two world championship gold medals (1991 and 1995) and one Olympic gold medal (1992). "Daniel decided to sit back on a lead in a third-place match and not wrestle as aggressively as he needed to wrestle to dominate."
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