|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
SJSU Wrestling Archives The Spartan Daily 3-1-78 |
||
|
|
||
|
McDowell Aims At Top |
||
|
by Steven Goldberg |
||
| Robert McDowell is "definitely one of the best wrestlers" ever at SJSU, according to wrestling coach
T.J. Kerr. McDowell, 21, with a record of 34-2, is currently the sixth-ranked wrestler in the nation in the 142-pound division, according to National Mat News. McDowell, who beat Tim Mousetis of the University of Kentucky (the six-ranked wrestler at the time) at the prestigious Midlands Tournament for his ranking, doesn't put much faith in ratings to determine NCAA champs. "A rating is just a rating," McDowell said. "Being rated number six doesn't mean i'll be sixth in the national tournament. It just kind of lets you know where other people stand and where you stand." McDowell is aiming at the NCAA championships at University of Maryland March 16-18. McDowell must place first or second at the upcoming (this weekend) Western Regionals at CSU Fullerton. McDowell, who place first in the PCAA tournament by manhandling Greg Pollard of CSUF 20-5 in the finals, is confident of winning the Western Regionals. "I should win the Western Regionals but there'll be a couple of people running for me," McDowell said. "I'll probably meet (Glenn) Cooper of Cal Poly-SLO again. I probably won't pin him this time." McDowell pinned Cooper in a recent SJSU-Cal Poly dual meet. McDowell has several major strengths as a wrestler, according to Kerr. "He's really aggressive and good offensively on his feet," Kerr said. "He's fundamentally sound and he's willing to work on his weaknesses." Kerr added that his main contribution to McDowell's development as a wrestler has been to help eliminate McDowell's weaknesses. McDowell, who attended Graceland College (Iowa) where he won the NAIA championship, said he transferred to SJSU because Kerr is a dedicated coach who worked out with the athletes. "Every night i work out with him," McDowell said. "We figured that he (Kerr) gets about 25 cents for every hour he puts in." McDowell's hard work, three and a half hours every day for the last two years, has resulted in 34 wins and only two losses for the year. One of those losses was to Mike Terry, a graduate of University of Wisconsin, in the final rounds of the Midlands Tournament. The other loss was to Rodney Balch of CSU Bakersfield but McDowell holds a two to one edge over Balch during this season, including a recent win over Balch in the North-South All-Star meet at UC Berkeley. "I beat him 6-5," McDowell said. "I thought i controlled the match more than the score indicated. He's a good wrestler." McDowell said the key to becoming a good wrestler is to master the basics. "Everyone wants a fancy move but you're never going to beat a top notch wrestler with just those moves. They (fancy moves) have to be in the back of your head" McDowell said. "Sometimes you walk off the mat thinking 'i didn't even know i had that move' but it's there." He added that using those moves comes from experience. McDowell has plenty of experience, since he has wrestled for nine years. "I was in junior high when i came off a losing season in football," McDowell said. "I was tired of losing so i was going to go out for soccer but someone told me the soccer team was losing too so i went out for wrestling. I continued because i got out of it what i put into it." McDowell, a junior, says he isn't planning beyond this year as far as wrestling is concerned. He does plan to be a firefighter and is taking night classes in that subject as well as being a Human Performance major at SJSU. Kerr said he would like McDowell to have some long range plans. "I hope he tries for the '80 Olympics," Kerr said. "Each step up is a lot bigger. He went from high school to a small college and then to the NCAA. Then there's that select group of international wrestlers. He's got the talent." |
||
