Returning All-America and rising senior, Alex Martocello, (Miller Place NY, Miller Place HS) is the first wrestler in the storied history of the York College wrestling program to attend the United States Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The invitation was extended to Alex due to his fourth place finish at the 2011 NCAA Division III National Wrestling Championships. Alex is a wrestler that has experience in the international styles as he wrestled Freestyle for Team New York while in high school. During his time from July 5th – July 14th Alex will train with the 2011 Men’s Senior Level Greco-Roman national team In addition to training with the men that will represent the USA in Istanbul, Turkey later this year, Alex will also have the chance to train with the other men on the USA Wrestling ladder; the top three men at each weight.
York College Wrestling: Alex, Thanks for taking the time to talk with us, can you tell us a detailed version of your trip to the OTC.
Alex Martocello: I am out here to get better in any form of wrestling I can. Coming out of this experience I expect to be better than when I came in. When you compete for a national title you expect all of this to help you get to your goals.
YCPW: Give me a 30 second impression of life at the OTC.
AM: Intense, It’s go go go, every one is training, and very focused. Everything is geared towards the athletes getting better. From the food to the training staff everyone wants to make you better. It’s not just the wrestlers but all of the athletes here.
Editorial note: Alex sent me a text telling me about the dinner served at the dining hall that said, “The café was serving rib eyes [steaks] tonight. It was awesome, I ate three.”
YCPW: Did you feel any apprehension as you boarded the plane? If so what was it?
AM: Yeah, I left knowing I’m going against the best in the country and essentially the world when I am out here. I am out here to get better and figure out why things go wrong when they do and how I can correct that. This is a way to understand things better.
YCPW: What are your big goals for this week?
AM: Understand position better, find a new form of offense to supplement my leg attacks, and to understand how the best in the world train and figure out why they do what they do. I saw during a workout today that lifting can very easily take care of running, which is a different concept altogether. I hope to bring this all back to make York College a better program.
YCPW: When you first got to the OTC you had to train with the Junior level guys, just how good are some of the top high schoolers in the nation?
AM: They’re pretty good, they are very physical. They are really impressive, and they are fun to watch. They are all go with great motors that never stop running.
YCPW: Have you seen any big names while walking around the OTC campus?
AM: (laughs) Yeah, (Former Team USA Head Coach/Former Iowa State Coach) Bobby Douglas, (Former Olympian and Current Team USA Head Freestyle Coach) Zeke Jones, (Olympic Gold Medalist and Current Head Greco Coach) Steve Fraser, and 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo. Today the brains and brawn behind USA Wrestling were all in one room, it is pretty unreal. I was star struck for the first minute or two, and then I realized we are all here for the same reason. There is this one wrestler here with the German National Greco Team, the guy is a multiple time World Champ. . . and Head USA Greco-Roman Steve Fraser says, “What you have nine medals?,” and the German Coach just says “more” in the deep German accent. Everyone is good, but everyone is also very helpful and accommodating. Coach Fraser spoke to us and thanked us all for coming and he said, “When these guys win medals, we all win medals.”
YCPW: What are your thoughts on the altitude change and how does that affect a guy that basically lives on the beach on Long Island?
AM: It’s a big difference, the first day I got out here I had trouble walking around. I was spent after a 35 minute session with the USAW Junior Level Guys. I breathe heavier and I might be a bit slower, but I am getting used to it now, but the first day I slept for 16 hours. The concept is definitely something I will bring back with me.
Alex will have one training session on Friday, July 8th and on Saturday he will tackle the infamous Cog Hill on Pikes Peak.
The YCP Wrestling Blog will catch up with Alex on Saturday after his time on Cog Hill. He will gain over 2000 feet of elevation in just a mile, some parts of the Cog have a slope as steep as 50 degrees!
Here is some footage from 2007 before Team USA wrestled in Baku, Azerbaijan
