Indiana University Athletics
Grappler Practice Report #1
9/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Sept. 15, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana wrestling team began preseason practices this week in preparation for the upcoming 2005-06 campaign. Since the week began, the Hoosiers have participated in morning lifts twice a week, and lift four times a week overall. The team also participates in an active rest day on Tuesday, where the team plays various sports to keep active when they are not in the weight room. The preseason schedule also finds the IU grapplers in the practice gym two hours prior to every home football game.
During Thursday's practice, IUHOOSIERS.com sat down with returning All-Americans senior Joe Dubuque (NCAA National Champion, 125 pound), sophomore Brandon Becker (Fifth, 157 pound) and sophomore NCAA qualifier Max Dean about how practices are progressing.
Joe Dubuque
Senior
Bloomfield, N.J.
Two-time All-American, 2005 NCAA 125-pound National Champion
On returning to the mat.
"It is exciting to get back on the mat after having such a great season last year. Coming off a good year, everyone is just ready to get back and start working hard. We are hoping with the young talent and the returners that we can make a big push in the Big Ten this year and at nationals be in the mix among the top programs."
Being a top-returner, how important is leadership going to be for this team.
"I think everyone has stepped up in a leadership role on and off the matt in some way. Brandon Becker has done a good job of leading on the matt through his actions, while other guys like Brady Richardson and I are kind of the more vocal leaders. Then you have Max Dean who has stepped up in more of the social leadership role, all of whom have helped each other to get the new recruits and returners pumped for the season. Having a variety of leaders helps when you have different guys that respond to different types of leadership. It helps when they can go to someone that they will respond to the best."
What do you do to get back into the strict regime that wrestling requires during the season?
"For me it has become just like clock work. This is my fifth year, and I am just ready get going. It will be a change for the freshman to get used to the type of work that we put in, but the rest of the returners know what it takes and we are ready to go to work."
Brandon Becker
Sophomore
Michleton, N.J.
NCAA Qualifier, NCAA All-American (5th)
On returning to the mat.
"It feels good to get back out there for a new season. We had a good season last year and we have a long year in front of us."
On this year's leadership and the importance of that for a successful year.
"We had some great leaders graduate last year. I am moving up along with some other guys and we are going to follow suit the way lat year's leaders handled things. What has worked in the past we are going to keep doing and help get the new guys into the work ethic this team is accustomed to."
Max Dean
Sophomore
West Chester, Ohio
On returning to the mat.
"Feels great to get back into it. We have all been scattered during the summer, so it is nice to bring the team back together and get to work. There is a lot of hype for this season. There has been a lot of energy from the recruits and all the returners that has created a great atmosphere in the lockeroom and amongst the whole team. I am pumped to get everything going with the new season."
Since you attended the NCAA Leadership Conference, what new ideas are you implementing for the team to include the new recruits?
"It has been a big thing this year to include the newcomers in everything that we are doing, from workouts to outside activities that the team has. I feel that our leadership and upperclassmen have made it a priority to get to know all the new freshmen and make them feel a part of the team. A big team-unity activity we have for this semester is all competing on a flag football team together. We are getting together, to not only get some workouts in, but to know each other off the mat."
What do you do to get back into the strict regime that wrestling requires during the season?
"A lot of it, at the beginning, is just self-discipline. We have a lot of workouts on our own and try to while we are working out envision what we want this season to be like. We also try to get together with other guys that are not in class and go workout together. We try not to get to strenuous at the beginning, but definitely workup a sweat."
