Feature: Aaron Sieracki is serving his country and fulfilling his dreams
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by Megan Myers
Aaron Sieracki bleeds red, white and blue.
Not only is he a member of the United States Senior Greco-Roman National Team, he is also a sergeant in the U.S. Army.
Sieracki is in the World Class Athlete Program with the Army, where he competes on the wrestling team. He was won six Armed Forces tournaments during his career, including the 2008 Armed Forces Championships.
"It's the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force," Sgt. Sieracki said of the Armed Forces event. "We wrestle in dual meet style which is probably one of the most intense tournaments you will ever be at, just because of the rivalry between each Armed Force."
His duty to this country in his military job is to plan out the routes for where each truck on a convoy is going to go. Even though he has yet to be deployed overseas, he said that if the Army calls and says "You gotta to go," then he has to go.
Sieracki did not begin his military experience with the Army. He began with the U.S. Air Force where he developed into a nationally-ranked Greco-Roman wrestler. He said that he switched forces because of his older brother, past World Team member and WCAP wrestler Keith Sieracki.
"I didn't know if I was going to compete after this last Olympic Trials, but I thought for sure, at least the last three years, that I would be wrestling with him on the same team," Aaron said. "It's how we started out, in high school and when we were kids, so it would be nice to finish together."
They competed together at Richland Center High School in Wisconsin. Keith and Aaron both won the state title in 1990. Aaron was the state champion in 1993 as well.
He said that having his brother on the team with him has been great. If anybody is going to push Aaron further than the maximum, it's going to be Keith.
"I wrestled for a long time and never achieved what I wanted." Keith said. "I told Aaron that he needs to train every year as if it's an Olympic year. He must focus on that year in front of him and not say 'Well I have next year' and keep putting training off."
Keith has had an outstanding career of his own. He has been a four-time U.S. Nationals champion, two-time U. S. Olympic Team Trials champion, and a six-time Armed Forces champion.
In 2008, Aaron placed second in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials behind two-time Olympian Brad Vering at 84 kg/185 lbs. It was perhaps the top performance of his career, so far.
"It was tough. I got out of wrestling for about a year and a half and got out of the military completely," Aaron said. "Then I went back to the Army because I wanted to wrestle again and make the team. To come so close to coming back to do what I wanted and not achieve my goal was tough to deal with."
Even though Aaron Sieracki did not make it to Beijing, he is moving forward to compete in London in 2012.
Vering has not returned to competition, so Sieracki is an early favorite to make his first U.S. World Team this year. In order for him to achieve his goal of winning an Olympic medal, he said he wants to make a couple of U.S. World Teams to get the world-stage experience.
"It would be nice," he said about winning an Olympic medal. "I'm fulfilling a dream that's taken about 28 years, so it would be a great way to end everything. It would a little bit for my brother too. I could to it for him, if anything."
The 33-year-old is on the fast track of making his dreams come true. He could possibly compete in the Dave Schultz Memorial International Open in February, depending on his injury status. At the end of February, he will go on a wrestling tour overseas to Hungary and Slovenia. Then come back to the U.S. just in time for the Armed Forces Championships in March to defend his title. Next up is the U.S. National Championships in April, an event he has not yet won.
U.S. National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser said that if Sieracki stays healthy and puts in some good training he will do well.
"He's a good kid. He's been knockin' on the door, being No. 2 or No.3 guy for a number of years," Fraser said. "If he does a few of these things, he could be our No. 1 guy and get a chance to prove himself on the world level."
If that happens, Aaron can make his older brother proud, and continue the Sieracki legacy at the world level.
"I see Aaron holding on to the No. 1 spot for the next four years and getting a medal," Keith said. "He's been a harder worker than me and he deserves it."
Not only is he a member of the United States Senior Greco-Roman National Team, he is also a sergeant in the U.S. Army.
Sieracki is in the World Class Athlete Program with the Army, where he competes on the wrestling team. He was won six Armed Forces tournaments during his career, including the 2008 Armed Forces Championships.
"It's the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force," Sgt. Sieracki said of the Armed Forces event. "We wrestle in dual meet style which is probably one of the most intense tournaments you will ever be at, just because of the rivalry between each Armed Force."
His duty to this country in his military job is to plan out the routes for where each truck on a convoy is going to go. Even though he has yet to be deployed overseas, he said that if the Army calls and says "You gotta to go," then he has to go.
Sieracki did not begin his military experience with the Army. He began with the U.S. Air Force where he developed into a nationally-ranked Greco-Roman wrestler. He said that he switched forces because of his older brother, past World Team member and WCAP wrestler Keith Sieracki.
"I didn't know if I was going to compete after this last Olympic Trials, but I thought for sure, at least the last three years, that I would be wrestling with him on the same team," Aaron said. "It's how we started out, in high school and when we were kids, so it would be nice to finish together."
They competed together at Richland Center High School in Wisconsin. Keith and Aaron both won the state title in 1990. Aaron was the state champion in 1993 as well.
He said that having his brother on the team with him has been great. If anybody is going to push Aaron further than the maximum, it's going to be Keith.
"I wrestled for a long time and never achieved what I wanted." Keith said. "I told Aaron that he needs to train every year as if it's an Olympic year. He must focus on that year in front of him and not say 'Well I have next year' and keep putting training off."
Keith has had an outstanding career of his own. He has been a four-time U.S. Nationals champion, two-time U. S. Olympic Team Trials champion, and a six-time Armed Forces champion.
In 2008, Aaron placed second in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials behind two-time Olympian Brad Vering at 84 kg/185 lbs. It was perhaps the top performance of his career, so far.
"It was tough. I got out of wrestling for about a year and a half and got out of the military completely," Aaron said. "Then I went back to the Army because I wanted to wrestle again and make the team. To come so close to coming back to do what I wanted and not achieve my goal was tough to deal with."
Even though Aaron Sieracki did not make it to Beijing, he is moving forward to compete in London in 2012.
Vering has not returned to competition, so Sieracki is an early favorite to make his first U.S. World Team this year. In order for him to achieve his goal of winning an Olympic medal, he said he wants to make a couple of U.S. World Teams to get the world-stage experience.
"It would be nice," he said about winning an Olympic medal. "I'm fulfilling a dream that's taken about 28 years, so it would be a great way to end everything. It would a little bit for my brother too. I could to it for him, if anything."
The 33-year-old is on the fast track of making his dreams come true. He could possibly compete in the Dave Schultz Memorial International Open in February, depending on his injury status. At the end of February, he will go on a wrestling tour overseas to Hungary and Slovenia. Then come back to the U.S. just in time for the Armed Forces Championships in March to defend his title. Next up is the U.S. National Championships in April, an event he has not yet won.
U.S. National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser said that if Sieracki stays healthy and puts in some good training he will do well.
"He's a good kid. He's been knockin' on the door, being No. 2 or No.3 guy for a number of years," Fraser said. "If he does a few of these things, he could be our No. 1 guy and get a chance to prove himself on the world level."
If that happens, Aaron can make his older brother proud, and continue the Sieracki legacy at the world level.
"I see Aaron holding on to the No. 1 spot for the next four years and getting a medal," Keith said. "He's been a harder worker than me and he deserves it."
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