Oklahoma State University Athletics
Wrestling Practice Set to Begin Oct. 10
October 06, 2011 | Cowboy Wrestling
Oct. 6, 2011
STILLWATER, Okla. - The Oklahoma State wrestling team officially begins practice for the 2011-12 season Monday afternoon in the wrestling room at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
As the Cowboys get set to pursue the program's 35th NCAA Championship, okstate.com sat down with head coach John Smith to discuss his expectations and goals entering the first practice.
Coach John Smith:
On starting practice and the younger athletes
"It's a different year because we're starting on Oct. 10. It's the first time we haven't actually started official practice in September, so we've lost three weeks of instruction that we need to make some adjustments for. It's just different from the standpoint of it's the first time we've done something in 20 years of coaching, starting this late. I think everybody is excited for practice to start. One thing I do see, I see some maturity that we struggled finding from our young guys, those five freshmen that started last year. I see that they've gained some experience through the season last year as they're preparing for the opening day of practice, with a little bit more attention to detail, their training, their conditioning, their passion. I just see a greater passion from them to get themselves physically, mentally and emotionally ready. That's exciting. That makes it exciting to get this season started on the 10th. I see some real initiative from their part since the beginning of the school year."
On his pre-practice expectations
"My expectations to this point have been filled before practice starts. There's nothing greater for a coach than to see a little self-reliance from your student-athletes in recognizing what it's going to take to have a successful season, rather than looking at it going, `You're not doing what you need to be doing. You have no idea what's getting ready to come.' That's exciting. Part of what I've wanted to see has been filled, and it's been filled by student-athletes having a little self-reliance."
On the focus of beginning of practice
"We have to get better, and the first month of practice is going to be extremely important for our skill level getting better. When I say we have to get better, I'm only saying from a standpoint of our competition and preparing for our schedule. What I want to see over the next month is I really want to see us keep a great balance and keep great control over our academics, as well as our attitudes. When you go from eight hours a week of training to 20 hours a week of training, the demand becomes greater, and we need to have a lot of self control and a lot of focus on the two most important things, and that is our academics and our conditioning and technical levels. Real quickly on Monday, things are going to change for guys and time is going to be limited and we have to use that time wisely. It's so important that we recognize some of our mistakes from the past to put ourselves in a position to where we can get better."
On who he is looking forward to seeing in practice
"When I look on this particular team, there are so many guys that are on the verge of being special that, at this point, aren't there, but by their actions and their attitude, it gives you a lot of hope as you start the season. I don't think you can pinpoint one. It was a pretty odd year last year, and I'm proud of where we finished with the injuries we had. I just see several people that are in that row that excites me. Until you get into action, until you climb over barriers, you don't know whether you're there or not. I'll just say that we have several guys in that row that you see that could be very special with several of these guys turning into the wrestlers that you want."
