FEATURE: Nate Gallick goes for gold one step at a time

There is an incredible amount of pressure on an athlete who is representing his country, competing against the world's best, with one last chance to qualify his nation for the Olympic Games at his weight class.

For Nate Gallick, who went through that experience and fell short, pressure is not as big a deal anymore.

The U.S. had four opportunities to quality the 60 kg/132 lbs. weight class for the Olympics. 2006 World silver medalist Mike Zadick competed in the first three qualifiers, the 2007 World Championships, 2008 Pan American Championships, and the first Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Zadick did not place high enough in the events to earn the Olympic berth.

Gallick was selected to compete in the final Olympic qualifying event in Poland. In his first match, he lost a three-period battle to Ramazan Kambarov of Turkmenistan, and when Kambarov lost his next match, Gallick was eliminated from the competition.

Ever since Gallick began wrestling in the sixth grade he has had one goal, to win an Olympic gold medal. The loss in Poland had a huge impact on Gallick. Eventually, he realized something many elite athletes never do - it is just a sport.

"After I didn't qualify in my weight class it took me some time to realize that maybe it wasn't the end of the world. I started to realize that there are other things in life that are more important than wrestling." Gallick said. "I took a couple months off from wrestling and re-evaluated what I wanted from wrestling and life. My family, friends and girlfriend is what's most important."

It did not take long for Gallick to come back in to the wrestling circuit with renewed focus and energy.

"I decided to give it another four years and put everything into it," he said. "I don't want to put as much pressure on myself because at the end of the day it's just wrestling."

Gallick has had a very successful wrestling career. An NCAA champion for Iowa State, he was quickly successful in freestyle. He showed his promise with a gold medal at the 2005 World University Games in Turkey. Gallick claimed the 2007 U.S. Nationals and reached No. 2 on the National Team that season.

With all his success, it is still not enough for Gallick. From his freshman year of college to now, he has been wrestling at the Senior-level freestyle events. When he began wrestling, he never knew he would be so close to the goal he made in the sixth grade.

"Every wrestler when they start out looks ahead and has those dreams. My dreams became realistic when I got out of high school and went to college," Gallick said. "Even though I was wrestling in college, the NCAA title wasn't necessarily my goal or mindset."

Instead of having a four-year goal, Gallick makes a new goal every year to help him stay focused and ready for each competition he competes in to reach it to the top.

"My goal this year would be to make the World Team, win a World gold medal and to be ready for the national tournament," he said. "First, I want to put myself in the position for the trials to make the team."

When Gallick is not competing or training for the 2012 Olympics, he is an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

He said he is not a loud or obnoxious coach, but he likes to see where the athletes are at so he can train them with what will fit them individually.

"Overall, my one message to my guys is give 100% and if you are not having fun then you shouldn't be here," Gallick said. "You should listen to yourself and listen to your goals on what you want to do. If you don't want to win or achieve your goals, then you are in the wrong sport."

He has the best of both worlds in wrestling as a coach and a competitor. However, nothing can replace the feeling of winning a competition.

"I love coaching and working with my athletes but I truly love competing," Gallick said. "When you are getting ready for a tournament and that little bit of confidence that you get, you don't doubt yourself and you are ready. I think that's a great feeling and that's what I love."

In December, members of the National Freestyle Team were in attendance for the USA Wrestling National Freestyle Team Summit at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. The Summit was organized to bring attention to what the team needs to work on in order to achieve the goals they are aiming for.

"I think we learned a lot. I think as a group we learned about each other," Gallick said. "We have a good plan and have a chance to throw a lot of ideas out and evaluate them. I think as a team we are a lot more organized. We know what our goals are and I think we are aware of the problems that we need to fix."

Gallick said he believes since every individual is different. Where someone may lack, others excel. Being able to customize training programs will help maximize the whole National Team's performance.

U.S. National Freestyle Coach Zeke Jones said he believes Nate is a great asset to the national freestyle program.

"Nate is an extreme competitor and he is an analyzer. He likes to assess situations. I think he is a student of himself and the sport," Jones said. "He strategizes, creates game plans and attempts to execute those plans. As a result, he is on the cusp of being able to compete at the highest level and win."

Jones said Gallick will, without a doubt, get to the top but it will take time and a lot of hard work, something Gallick excels at.

"In order for Nate to make that breakthrough, he needs to continue to do what he is does best, refining his areas of concentration and assessing the world," Jones said. "He needs to create a great game plan against the very best wrestlers of the world. When he does, that is when his breakthrough will come."