Legendary Cael Sanderson packs ’em in at mat camp
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
BY JERRY REIGLE
For The Patriot-News
SHIPPENSBURG – Cael Sanderson’s pres ence at Heiges Field House at Shippens burg University yesterday blew away the myth that wrestling is facing troubled times.
In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
Sanderson is an Iowa State graduate who completed his college career with a 159-0 record and four national championships; he went on to win Olympics gold in 2004.
Now the head coach at his alma mater, Sanderson brought his Cyclones wrestling staff to the annual Lock Haven Summer Wrestling Training Camp at Shippensburg.
That attraction, along with NCAA champ and Olympian Cary Kolat yet to come this week, drew 850 elementary through high school senior wrestlers to the camp that runs through Thursday.
According to Lock Haven University head coach Rocky Bonomo, the camp was filled a few weeks ago and many were turned away.
Two buildings on Shippensburg’s campus were needed, but more than 600 wrestlers alone crammed on the 20 mats in Heiges Field House.
“They are here to see Cael and the Iowa State staff, “Bonomo said. “He is the big draw.”
Midstate wrestling coaches, current high school wrestlers, Lock Haven wrestlers and the LHU and Shippensburg assistant coaches helped man the mats.
But for these three days, it was all about Sanderson.
“Cael’s name is huge in the wrestling world, “said Iowa State assistant coach Tim Hartung. “He is the Tiger Woods of our sport.”
Sanderson flew into Harrisburg International Airport late Sunday afternoon and spent part of the night at the camp.
Iowa State associate coach Cody Sanderson, Cael’s older brother and three-time Iowa State all-American, and Hartung, a two-time national champion and three-time all-American for Minnesota, spent the better part of yesterday afternoon giving technical clinics.
Cael Sanderson was quite impressed with the numbers.
“They don’t get too much larger than this, “Sanderson said. “We’ve run Iowa State wrestling camps and didn’t get the numbers that showed up here.
“We [Iowa State] want to be in this area and start looking at recruiting some kids to come wrestle. When you talk about high school wrestling, it doesn’t get much bigger than Pennsylvania.
“Pennsylvania, Ohio and New Jersey are big when it comes to high schools. In college, it is about the Iowa State, Iowa and other Midwest programs that are big.”
Despite some college programs dropping wrestling because of Title IX regulations, Sanderson sees the numbers of wrestlers increasing.
“The youth programs and high school participation are growing, “Sanderson said. “It’s a fun sport and you learn a lot of discipline. Let’s face it, most kids wrestle at home just for the fun of it.”
The main thing Sanderson stressed to the 850 attendees is to have fun on the mat and learn the fundamentals.
“We look at kids who have a positive attitude, “Sanderson said. “You can go far in this sport if you have a hard-work ethic and be positive, especially at a young age.”
Hartung, who was Sanderson’s first hire when constructing a new Iowa State staff, was impressed the numbers and quality that he saw in two hours at the camp.
“I’ve always heard about Pennsylvania wrestling and this camp proves how intense it is, “Hartung said. “Wrestling is a rural kind of sport that draws tough kids who aren’t spoiled.
“They are hard workers. You need to have talent, but you need to work hard and keep at it if you want to be successful. Other states might have the same number of athletes as Pennsylvania, but the quality, especially at this level, is exceptional.”
Sanderson’s brother, Cody, said wrestling was important in the family household. The four Sanderson boys — Cody, Cole, Cael and Cyler — took up wrestling. Cyler is a redshirt sophomore at Iowa State this year.
Their father, Steve, returned as head coach at Wasatch High School in Heber City, Utah, and led the team to a Class AAA state title.
“One rule we had in our family was we weren’t allowed to wrestle in the house, “Cody said. “Mom wouldn’t allow it. We had to wait until we got to the wrestling room.”
Discipline, in this case, started in the Sanderson household, and it led to success on the mat.
In addition to his perfect college record, Olympic Games gold medal and three U.S. national freestyle championships, Cael Sanderson led the Cyclones to a Big 12 title and national runner-up in his first year as head coach.
“People ask me about my greatest accomplishment, “Sanderson said. “Going undefeated in college is something special but it was a bit stressful, because the media told me the numbers every time I did an interview.
“Winning the Olympic gold medal stands out.”
At the camp, Sanderson was just another guy in the room, wearing an Iowa State shirt and a pair of shorts.
But he was the reason why 850 kids signed up. And part of the reason why the sport, at least at the youth and scholastic levels, continues to grow.
JERRY REIGLE: 255-8206 or [email protected]
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