InterMat catches up with Tsirtsis and talks to him about his performance at the Junior Worlds, transitioning from freestyle to folkstyle, studying greats, goals, and much more.
You competed at the Junior World Championships this summer. You won your first two matches before being eliminated by the wrestler from Iran. What did you take away from that experience at the Junior Worlds?
Jason Tsirtsis defeated Zain Retherford to win the FILA Junior World Team Trials at 66 kilos in Stillwater, Okla. (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)It's really awesome going to the Worlds at the junior level. At the senior level you know the top guys in the world. But at the junior level everything is kind of unknown. I had Zadick in my ear just telling me to stay focused. I had no idea what to expect. That was kind of cool. I can't wait to compete on the world level again.
You have had a lot of success in freestyle and I'm sure you have goals of wrestling on future World and Olympic teams. Describe your emotions when you heard the news that wrestling was voted back in the Olympic Games.
Tsirtsis: As soon as I heard the news it was a great feeling. Obviously, the whole wrestling community all over the world was happy. But I think it's just the beginning, to be honest. It's great that we have two more Olympics after 2016. But I think we just have to keep improving our sport and making it the best sport in the world ... and there's no doubt we'll be here to stay in the Olympics.
Now you're transitioning into the college wrestling season. Is it difficult transitioning from a freestyle mindset to a folkstyle mindset?
Tsirtsis: Last year when I redshirted I did a lot of freestyle competitions even during the NCAA season. So I've been wrestling freestyle for a while. But I've been on the mat for probably three weeks now since the World Championships, and I'm right back to being very comfortable with folkstyle. I've done it my whole life. So it's not too big of a transition. If anything, freestyle helped me on my feet and helped me understand certain positions on my feet. So it's not too big of a transition.
You competed at 141 pounds last season and 145.5 pounds in freestyle. Now you're going to be competing up a weight class at 149 pounds as a redshirt freshman in college. Do you feel comfortable in the weight class right now?
Tsirtsis: I do feel comfortable in the weight class. The reason I'm doing it is because I really want to put all my attention toward getting better and being the best wrestler I can be. I think if I went 141 I would have to take away from that a little bit and foucs on cutting weight. I'm definitely big enough for the weight class.
Jason Tsirtsis was a four-time state champion and the nation's No. 1 recruit (Photo/Paul Tincher, IndianaMat)Tsirtsis: I really don't have any pressure right now. I think I'm an underdog. I'm not the No. 1 guy in the country. The pressure is on those types of guys. I'm just going to go out there and wrestle confidently and relaxed because I believe I can be the best in the country this year. No pressure, really ... Just trying to be confident. At the World Championships I felt maybe just a little pressure. I didn't perform as well as I should have in the match that I lost. I think I've learned a lot from that. I'm just relaxed and excited for the year.
You defeated an NCAA champion, Darrion Caldwell, as a high school senior in 2012. What did that victory mean to you at the time?
Tsirtsis: I think I was probably the only person in the UNI-Dome that thought I was going to win that match. I was training with my brother for a few months, and I believe my brother is one of the best wrestlers out there. Going into that match I was very confident actually, which people probably wouldn't think. That match wasn't the finals, and I ended up not making it to the Olympic Trials. But winning that match was cool. It was cool to know that I beat a top-level guy. I know he probably wasn't training as hard as he could have, but that wasn't my fault. It was a cool experience. That was probably one of my favorite tournaments because I was able to wrestle some older guys as a high schooler.
You went 18-3 last year during your redshirt season, with all three of your losses coming at the Midlands. What did you learn from that tournament?
Tsirtsis: I learned a lot from that tournament. I didn't cut my weight too well. I performed lower than where I expected myself to perform. The Midlands is almost like a little NCAA tournament. There are so many tough guys there. I just kind of realized that every match is going to be a grind. There are no easy matches. I just learned that I have to cut my weight right. It's not going to be easy to reach my goals, and I have to get tough.
Jason Tsirtsis won a Junior National freestyle title in Fargo in the summer of 2011 (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Tsirtsis: Yeah, definitely. I'm not putting all my focus on him. I think there are going to be a lot of tough guys at 149 this year, and he's definitely one of them. When that time comes, and if I get the opportunity to wrestle him at the Midlands or wherever it may be, I'm definitely going to be excited to hopefully avenge that loss from last year.
I have heard you say in the past that you watch online video of wrestlers. Who are some of the wrestlers you have studied?
Tsirtsis: I watch a lot of John Smith. He's probably the most technical wrestler I've ever seen. So I picked up a lot from him. I watch a lot of Buvaisar Saitiev and Arsen Fadzayev ... I watch a lot of matches. I watch the Brands.' You get so much from different wrestlers. If you watch Tom and Terry Brands you see that they're just relentless and you see how mental toughness can win you matches. You watch John Smith and you see how slick and fast he is. You watch Fadzayev and he's just so consistent. I just try to be a student of the sport and realize what those successful people had, and why they were successful.
Your brother Alex, who was an All-American at Iowa, is eight years older than you. Describe your relationship with him.
Tsirtsis: He's probably the biggest reason I've gotten to this point in my wrestling career. He's just an unbelievable person to work with and look up to. I have always looked up to him my whole life. He's not only my coach, but also my brother, so we have a very close bond. We have a lot of the same interests, so we're always talking and communicating. I'm very grateful to have a close bond with him.
Has your relationship with Alex changed at all since you started college?
Tsirtsis: If anything, our relationship has gotten stronger. He wants me to succeed and do everything right. He has already been through it. He likes to stay on top of what I'm doing and that I'm making all the right choices and doing all the right things. So I think it has gotten stronger since I've gotten into college.
Jason Tsirtsis won by technical fall over Connor Ryan in the finals of the FILA Junior National competition at 66 kilos (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Tsirtsis: My final two choices were Northwestern and Oklahoma State. Northwestern just stood out to me. The academics were a big draw. It's basically like an Ivy League school in the Midwest. Being close to home was a very big draw ... with not only having Alex close to me, but my whole family, and having them be close to support me. I really like the coaching staff. I think each of our coaches is a little different, which is what I like about it ... with Storniolo, Timmy, Drew, and Borschel ... They all have different personalities and different styles. I like that variation. I like the guys on the team too. There are a lot of things that went into it.
What are your goals for this coming season?
Tsirtsis: My goal is to be an NCAA champion. If I set anything shorter than that I would be lying to myself. I'm just a very competitive person. I always want to win and be the best I can be. Setting my goals high is how I have to approach it. I honestly believe I can do it. I just have to make sure I do everything right from now until March, and I think I will have a very good shot to accomplish that. But nothing is going to be easy, that's for sure.
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