Even Though He Planned to Redshirt During the 2005-06 Season, Buckeyes 197-Pounder Now Faces Uphill Battle Back From Injury Suffered This Summer
By Tim Goodenow “TWM Staff Writer
Please send comments, questions or replies to: [email protected]
J.D. Bergman was poised to make another run at All-America status during the 2005 NCAA wrestling championships. His goal, like many others, fell short with an early exit following a 1-2 mark after day one.
It had undoubtedly been a long and tiring season for the Ohio State sophomore and Oak Harbor, Ohio native. He competed in 45 matches against the toughest wresters in the country and posted a 36-9 record.
Athletes’ bodies “no matter how powerful, fast and strong “do have its limitations. But for Bergman, he was mentally drained.
“The sport of wrestling is just as much mentally demanding as it is physically,” explained the 2004 NCAA All-American. “I was disappointed in how I finished the season because I hold high standards for my wresting. I put a lot of pressure on myself and my friends and family could see that. A few weeks after the season was over, I realized how much I could improve as a wrestler and even a person.”
Improvement meant Bergman would sit out the 2005-06 season as a redshirt to regain that mental edge and enjoy the sport. And then a setback that is every wrestlers nightmare became reality when Bergman suffered a torn ACL over the summer.
“I was working out at camp this summer when one of those fluke things happened. Somebody tried to roll me and the momentum hyper-extended my straight leg and tore the ligament,” said Bergman. “We had already decided to sit out the season but hadn’t anticipated this injury.
“It was a scary moment waiting to hear the results of the MRI. I’ve had the normal wear and tear of participating in sports, especially being a wrestler. But these were all injuries that never kept me out long-term. So, this injury is a bit different.”
The redshirt season became a medical redshirt year “perhaps a blessing in disguise. Today, Bergman is a familiar face with Ohio State trainers and works the knee out several times a day.
Full Story at the Wrestling Mall.
Wrestling Gear
