|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
SJSU Wrestling Archives The Spartan Daily 3-9-72 |
||
|
|
||
|
Grappler In NCAA Championships |
||
|
by Jay Goldberg |
||
| He's the life of the party, he's the PCAA heavyweight wrestling champion and he's a starter for the SJS football
team at offensive tackle. It's not Davey Chaney, he's a linebacker and he doesn't wrestle. Our mystery party-goer is a 19 year old sophomore, Donnell Lee Jackson. The party Jackson enlivens is wrestling practice. Wrestling practice? Usually the attitude towards by athletes of any sport is a couple hours of drudgery. "I enjoy practice. I like to kid around, have fun, but still get the job done. I would rather look at practice optimistically, rather than pessimistically," mused Jackson. Jackson will travel to a bigger party when he represents the PCAA in the heavyweight division in the NCAA championships to be held in College Park, Maryland, today through Saturday. One would expect a sophomore would be nervous as he approaches his first spot in the national limelight. "I'm very anxious, not nervous," Jackson said confidently about the upcoming event. His coach, Terry Kerr, said, "It will be good experience for him. I remember when i competed in the NCAA regionals. I was wrestling about athletes that i had read about." It will be interesting to see if Jackson can handle the pressure, because SJS has never had a NCAA wrestling champion. The closest any grappler has come was in 1958 when Russ Camilleri placed sixth. Jackson, a graduate of San Miguel High School in San Diego, wrestles at 240. One of his opponents could be a 410 pound Big Eight champion form the University of Oklahoma. "I have been teaching him the greco-roman technique of wrestling, the style used in the Olympics," said Kerr. "he has progress quite well and since i believe some of those 410 or 300 pound wrestlers don't really wrestle, this type of wrestling could be of great advantage." The greco-roman style will help him stay away from his opponent's strength. "I will use upper body moves and try to stay away from the heavier opponent's weight," Jackson said. "We call him 'Nasty' on the football field," said line coach Robert Loose. "If everyone performed like him..." The life of the SJS wrestling party, the burly sophomore, would certainly like to be the host (champion) of the NCAA wrestling gig. |
||
