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NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPSMarch 22, 2013Jason WelchDES MOINSE, IOWA THE MODERATOR: All right, to my left Jason Welch, the top seed, 35‑1 now. Could you tell us a little bit about your match? You seemed to be in control throughout in your semifinal victory. JASON WELCH: That was definitely one of the strategies going into my match. I didn't want to hold out too much or get too out of control, wrestling a tall guy, David Bonin. And you want to pick away at him rather than look for a crazy scramble and get caught. Definitely looking to control things, get a takedown in the first period, stuff on top and just go from there. Q. You were considered a funky type of wrestler. People say you have a hard time reaching this level because people don't open up enough. Can you talk about that? JASON WELCH: It's definitely something I struggled with, my funky style and wrestling guys who are solid defensively and not only having a hard time putting them into scrambles when I use my function, but trying to be offensive without opening myself up. So it's something I have had to work on, but I think my strategy has been something that has helped me to be more solid during my first period and fighting hard and look for a solid work. Then in the second period getting my funky stuff going and being a little more sweaty, and that's where I can do my work. Q. What was different this year that puts you into a position to reach your goal of being a national champion? What do you think about your journey that brings you to this point? JASON WELCH: I think a big thing this year has been mentally staying focused. Not just wrestling but bringing other aspects of my life, getting those in the most healthy, positive manner. So that way everything leads to my experiencing my wrestling. It's been a great journey under Cysewski and Storniolo and now with Borschel there. It's again great to learn under them, and I trusted that these people were someone that I could grow as a person and as a wrestler with. Definitely this year it's been a big year for maturing for me and realizing my goals and growing up quite a bit. THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much, Jason. Q. What are your thoughts tomorrow night against Derek St. John? JASON WELCH: I'm excited, it's a revenge match for me. It's one that I felt in the mast that I made mistakes and lost the match. Going forward, it would be a great way to end my career, avenging that loss and showing that the mistakes I made previously have been corrected and I've developed. Q. Do you have any international ambitions? JASON WELCH: No, I think after tomorrow that will be it. Looking forward to coaching, like to do some graduate work with Northwestern and help out with the team, coach or something. I have had a passion for working with young adults and kids and it will be great to transition from being a wrestler under my coaching staff to learning how to coach from them. So I'm looking forward to it. Q. So you have a loss now in the semifinals and this year a win in the semifinals. What's the difference in being able to get the win and get into the finals? JASON WELCH: It feels so good. For the past two years I've lost in the semifinals and both of them have been pretty close matches. Getting that semifinal under my belt feels great. It's so cool knowing that tomorrow I can make weight and I have, like, 8, 9 hours to recover. I'm just really happy that it went this way instead of the way it's gone. Q. David Bonin came into the semifinals as an unseeded wrestler. Do you think about him maybe getting a hot streak? JASON WELCH: Definitely. Everyone has a chance to have the best tournament of their lives at the NCAAs, and by big thing for me is peaking and definitely looking at postseason. Bonin is one who has done that in this tournament so far, but at the same time I feel like I do a similar thing where I tend to wrestle in bigger meets, bigger NCAAs and Big 10s, and makes me feel good to know that a guy is wrestling well because it means that I, in turn, did wrestle well and get things going. THE MODERATOR: Congratulations and good luck in the final. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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