By Steven Allspach, Journal sports writer
Tyler Halverson, his photo op with Cael Sanderson already out of the way, was relaxing in a gymful of young wrestlers Friday at Bishop Heelan.
All eyes, including Halverson’s, in the steamy auditorium were focused on Sanderson, the unbeaten four-time NCAA champion at Iowa State and gold medalist at 185 pounds in the Athens Olympics.
“This is the second time I’ve been to one of Cael’s camps,” said Halverson, who’ll be a junior at Cherokee High School and Iowa’s Class 2A state prep champ at 103 pounds as a sophomore last February. “He’s been a hero of mine for a long time.
“The thing that really strikes me about him is he’s not cocky. He’s real friendly and seems like an average Joe, willing to help any kid in any way he can.”
Halverson won 44 of his 45 matches as a sophomore. “Cael Sanderson was unbeaten in college and that’s an incredible record. It’s inspiration for me to try to do my best to finish my two years of high school unbeaten,” continued Halverson.
Halverson didn’t have that much of a drive to soak in Sanderson’s wrestling knowledge, but four preps and a youth coach from Orion, Ill., made an almost six-hour van drive to take advantage of Sanderson’s expertise, and that of Iowa State Coach Bobby Douglas, who will attend today’s portion of the ESVN Wrestling Clinic directed by Charlie Curran.
“We’ve all heard about Cael Sanderson and his accomplishments,” said Chet Cox, who’ll be a senior at Orion High after finishing third at 171 pounds in the Illinois Class A state tournament as a junior. “This is an honor. When we heard about this we dropped everything and decided to make the trip.
“It’s not very often you get a chance to learn from a guy a lot of people think is the greatest amateur wrestler in history. I’ve got his Wheaties box, though, with his autograph on there. Now we’ll get the real thing.”
While the wrestlers basked in the presence of Sanderson, an Iowa State University Art & Design graduate reciprocated.
“Obviously, I love this sport and I love working with kids,” said the Utah native who went 159-0 as a collegian. “When Coach Douglas asked me to be an assistant last year I jumped at the chance.
“You couldn’t work for a more knowledgeable teacher and coach.
“I’ve learned so much, but there’s so much more.”
These days, during a busy daily schedule since winning in Athens, Sanderson is always asked the obvious question. Are you going to return to competition and try for another gold medal in the 2008 Olympics?
“Right now, I’ve got a lot of things going and I haven’t really thought about another Olympics all that much,” said Sanderson, who was named the outstanding wrestler in the NCAA tournament four times. “It takes almost three years of pretty intense training to prepare for something like the Olympics.
“I’ll have to make a decision pretty soon, but right now I’m undecided.”
The personable Sanderson won three Utah state prep titles at Wasatch High in Heber City then captured his four NCAA crowns in 1999-2002. He pinned 23 of his 40 foes as a senior.
Recently Sports Illustrated magazine named his undefeated college career as the No. 2 most outstanding achievement in the history of college sports.
“I really don’t know how to react to the Sports Illustrated thing,” said Sanderson. “It’s certainly an honor, but how it ranks among all the great accomplishments in college sports, that’s pretty mind-boggling.”
Sanderson signed T-shirt after T-shirt, shoes, jackets, anything the young wrestlers had to offer that would hold an autograph.
“All of the young guys here are kind of in awe of Cael Sanderson,” said Destin McCauley, an accomplished youth wrestler in national meets who will be a seventh-grader at Dakota Valley this fall. “You pay close attention to what he’s saying, but he seems to have a way to make things fun, too.”
McCauley estimates he’s already wrestled approximately 700 matches. “I’m not tired of it at all. When you go to a camp like this you’re just that much more excited. Nope, I’ve got plenty of energy.”
While enjoying the life of Olympic celebrity and busy camp clinician, Sanderson finds time to put his college major to work.
“I’m not into painting that much, but I do a lot of pencil and charcoal work,” said Sanderson. “Right now I’m in the process of making some designs and drawings for clothing. One of my goals is to create a line of clothing with an emphasis on the artwork on wrestling.
“My wife, Kelly, is working in Des Moines, but soon she’ll take over my Internet website and she’ll be playing a major role in that and the marketing of the clothes if we can get that going.
“It should be exciting and another challenge. I love challenges.”
Sanderson had to give it an extra moment or two to respond, but hedged that going 159-0 in college and becoming the first undefeated four-time national champ in the process might hold a loftier spot than winning the Olympic gold on his personal list of most cherished accomplishments.
”Winning that last match, it was like tons of pressure falling off my two shoulders,” recalled the living mat legend. “I put so much into that. The Olympics was important, sure, but it was a different situation.”
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