Listen to “5PM27: World Team Member Ellis Coleman” on Spreaker.
Episode 27 of the Five Point Move Podcast features a wide-ranging conversation with 2019 US World Team member Ellis Coleman (67 kg, Army/WCAP, world no. 17).
Coleman, making his fourth appearance on the program, starts off by sharing his perspectives on the just-wrapped Senior World Team Camp held at the US Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. It is a topic of importance for the 28-year-old star. Arguably the best Greco-Roman athlete in the country, Coleman has also had to deal with more than his share of nagging injuries (and illnesses) throughout the course of his career, which is why there was an extra emphasis on keeping him healthy during camp this time around. Of course, there were other concerns at play, such as fine-tuning technique and getting in the right amount of intensity prior to the World Championships in two weeks.
The discussion then moves into a different direction. After Coleman provides his insights regarding the recent World-medal-winning performances from the US Juniors, he explains why receiving new gear is a source of excitement for him, trading apparel with foreign athletes, and what he packs in his suitcase prior to leaving for a World-level event. The topic, or custom, of wrestlers stealing each other’s clothes is also a point of interest.
A few highlights
Coleman on how he feels coming out of the extremely intense World Team camp
“I feel really good, really fresh this year. We monitored the training pretty well this year, my coaches and I, and made sure my body stayed fresh, and I didn’t wear my body out to where I couldn’t recover as well. We were able to work hard, recover, and train smart at the same time, so it was real good for me.”
Coleman on the improved communication in the National program this year
“One thing he (US National Team head coach Matt Lindland) said that people need to think about is that ‘Your career is in your hands.’ A lot of times we get caught up doing every single thing they’re telling us to do, but they’re just putting it out there because they think that’s what is best for us. They don’t know what is going on with our bodies, and Coach Lindland said communication is key. So they’re communicating with us, we’re communicating with them, and you have to know when to come on and off the mat. If you don’t communicate, then you are pretty much just hurting yourself.”
Coleman on the depth found in Greco brackets at the World Championships
“You see how big the Greco brackets are at the World Championships and how many countries are wrestling Greco. And not only that, the depth of the brackets. There are four, five, or six World Champions at a weight, as opposed to one or two people dominating a whole weight class. That just shows how difficult and competitive it is. I just think like anything else, Greco is hard. If Greco was easy, everyone would be wrestling Greco.”
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