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SJSU Wrestling Archives The Spartan Daily 10-8-76 |
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Frosh Recruits Add Strength To Wrestling Team |
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by Ron Coverson |
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| In the sports circle there is an old saying that if something works well for you once, why not try it again. After varsity wrestling coach Terry Kerr placed three freshmen on last year's all-conference team, he figured, "what the heck, why not recruit some more." With this excellent group of freshmen returning to bolster this year's squad, Kerr doesn't have "a whole lot to complain about." Coming off of a successful 1975-76 campaign in which SJSU's matmen took the PCAA title for the fourth consecutive time, the Spartans will open the 1976-77 season on Oct. 29 against the alumni. The contest will begin at 7 pm in Spartan Gym. According to Kerr, due to the success of his freshmen in big meet competition last year, he has once again recruited a lot of freshmen for this year's squad. "Initially it was on an experimental basis when we began to recruit freshmen so heavily last year," Kerr said. "And so far i feel it has paid off handsomely," he added. Among the group of incoming freshmen wrestlers that the Spartans will have this year are Phillip Williams, Jeff Fleury, Doug Johnson, David Brouhard, and Steve Mills (an all-stater last year). "These guys have an abundance of potential and with the type of competition we will be facing early this season, they should gain the proper experience pretty quickly," Kerr said. Along with Kerr's freshman corp, he also has 10 solid varsity players returning this season. They are led by senior Rudy Guevara, junior Marty Lockwood, and sophomore Randy Fleury, Jeff's older brother. Sophomore Mike Applegate, like R. Fleury, was an all-conference player last year and will undoubtedly add some strength and experience to the club. Although Kerr has been very pleased with the way his freshmen players have performed, he acknowledged the fact that there is a big difference between high school and collegiate wrestling techniques, and added that the degree of variation is "often times critical and therefore must be learned." "Collegiate wrestling requires a much closer look at the differences found in certain moves or holds," he said. "Also the rules in college are much more complex that of high school, so therefore just because a guy was an all-stater in high school, doesn't mean he is going to automatically fit right in to collegiate wrestling," Kerr explained. "This is why a lot of the time the tougher guys turn out to be the ones who were less notable while in high school, and who feel that they must give that extra effort in order to make the squad," he said. "When this happens, it is a welcome surprise," Kerr added. The Spartans will once again be severely tested as they will take on one of the toughest schedules in the history of wrestling at SJSU. In dual meet competition the Spartans will knock heads with NCAA Division II champions, Cal State Bakersfield , and host Division I schools UCLA and University of Arizona at Spartan Gym. "I think this type of competition will prepare us for the big tournaments near the end of the season," Kerr said. "Also this early action will give us a chance to take a look at our redshirt Bob McDowell," Kerr stated. McDowell, a transfer from Graceland College, where he was the NAIA champion in the heavyweight division last year, will be unable to participate in NCAA competition, but will be allowed to compete in some of the earlier meets. Traditionally, SJSU has had a rough time during the year, but always managed to finish tournament competition in a bit of a rush, according to Kerr. "One year we went 8-14 during the regular season, but put it together at the end to finish 23rd in the nation," Kerr said. "I don't expect us to have a bad season, but once again i feel that the type of dual meet competition we will face this year will prepare us for the big one, the NCAA," he said. |
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