Brent Metcalf has been a national champion. He has been a national runner-up. He has been an All-American ” twice. He has been a Big Ten champion ” twice. He has been the Outstanding Wrestler at the Big Ten championships ” twice. He has been the Outstanding Wrestler of the NCAA championships. He has been the Dan Hodge Trophy winner. He has a 69-match winning streak.
Yet, he is not satisfied.
Accolades such as that could make anybody’s head swell. But Metcalf is not the pompous type. While the 23-year-old exudes cool confidence, he has remained grounded. He doesn’t bask in the glory of his victories; instead, he chooses to find motivation in his few losses.
The Hawkeye senior has been wrestling since he was 8. From the moment he first stepped onto the mat, he has been an opponent to be feared.
He began in the novice division of youth wrestling, but that didn’t last long. In just one weekend, he advanced to the regular division, a transition that took other successful wrestlers months. After that, he won the youth state championships in his home state of Michigan as well as tournaments across the country.
His first national victory came at age 11 at the USA Championships in Waterloo, and his parents, Tom and Lynn Metcalf, see that win as a turning point.
“That was probably the first inkling we had that he could do this on a national stage,” Tom Metcalf said. “But I certainly never thought he was going to be an Olympic athlete.”
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http://www.dailyiowan.com/2009/07/20/Sports/12128.html
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