BEARING DOWN
So. Oregon's O'Brien brought toughness with him after leaving Alaska's Kodiak Island
He may be top ranked and the most wanted wrestler in the 184-pound weight class this season in the NAIA. But a few years ago, David O’Brien didn’t even know if he had a future in the sport.
O’Brien, a junior at Southern Oregon, was a standout in high school in the state of Alaska. He was a big shot in his own realm of the high school wrestling world, but continuing on to the next level was not a comfortable proposition for him. After he achieved many of his prep goals, including a state championship, at Kodiak High School on the Kodiak Island, O’Brien was somewhat uncertain about a college career on the mat.
“When I was growing up, I loved wrestling in Alaska,’’ he said. “I won’t change that at all. I recall that we were able to fly off of the island to different locations tha
t I had never been before for matches. But, I do remember that I would go to tournaments and see the same guys over and over again. That got kind of old after a while.“I really didn’t know if I wanted to wrestle after high school was over. But, I’m glad that I did because if I didn’t do it, I knew that it would be something that I would always miss.’’
When O’Brien arrived at Southern Oregon, he quickly learned he was just one of several underclassmen looking to make a positive impression in the wrestling room. There were times during his freshman year when he questioned whether or not he truly had the commitment needed to see things through.
“I definitely had doubts,’’ O’Brien said. “I didn’t know if college wrestling was for me. I kept to myself a lot during my freshman year. I don’t know if some of the other guys on the team even knew my name.’’
As it turns out, O’Brien made a name for himself due to his success as a rookie.
“I won a couple of big matches once I started to compete and I think that I earned some respect from my teammates and coaches,’’ O’Brien said.
After going 2-2 at the NAIA nationals his freshman year, O’Brien certainly gained respect. But after placing second at the 2004 NAIA Championships, he gained a goal as well. O’Brien lost, 11-9, to Kyle Fisher from Montana State-Northern in the finals at 184 last March.
“Last year, I wasn’t sure if I had what it took to win the NAIAs,’’ O’Brien said. “This year, it’s definitely a goal to win the title. I know that other guys are going to try very hard against me and there is some pressure because I’m ranked No. 1. I know that when I was an underdog, I was looking to beat guys who were ranked ahead of me. It definitely makes me work harder.’’
There are other motivators for O’Brien including two athletes, Brian Wilson and Wes Balensifer. Wilson won the NAIA crown at 165 and Balensifer was the heavyweight champ for Southern Oregon last year.
“It was great to see them win at the NAIAs,” O’Brien said. I saw how happy they were and I was very happy for them. Now, I want to be an NAIA champ like they were.’’
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