Three-time NCAA All-American Robert Kokesh trying his hand at the international styles
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by Richard Immel USA Wrestling
| Robert Kokesh after his last college match for the University of Nebraska. Photo: Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com. |
After his career at the University of Nebraska came to an end last March, Robert Kokesh finished a three-time NCAA All-American, two-time Big Ten champion and in second place on the Huskers all-time win’s list with 144 individual victories.
His post-graduation plan was to spend another year at Nebraska helping coach the team and preparing Jordan Burroughs for yet another run at Olympic gold before returning to the family farm in South Dakota.
International wrestling was not something Kokesh pictured himself doing, that is until he received a call from U.S. Greco-Roman coach Matt Lindland.
“I decided to wrestle Greco about three months ago,” Kokesh said. “After the folkstyle season was over my intentions weren’t to wrestle anymore, but I just decided that, why not, I’m young. I might as well just give it a shot. Lindland talked to me and really wanted me to get into Greco, so I thought, shoot, why not give it a shot.”
Making the decision to wrestle Greco-Roman is one thing, making the transition from folkstyle to Greco-Roman is another.
Throughout his folkstyle career Kokesh was known for his pristine leg attacks and tough riding in the top position. Tussling in upper body ties was not his primary strategy by any means. For all intents and purposes, Kokesh is now learning to wrestle all over again.
“I’ve never been a thrower, or even tried to throw, not saying that’s what Greco about, but you definitely have to have that skill set and I’ve definitely learned quite a bit,” Kokesh said. “It’s definitely been a learning experience. I’ve been making a lot of big strides. Just like when you start off folkstyle wrestling as a young kid, you make a lot of big strides when you start the sport.”
Kokesh has spent ample time in the past three months developing his craft. He splits time between the Nebraska Regional Training Center in Lincoln, Neb. and the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Both training sites provide different learning opportunities.
At Nebraska he has world class training partners and competitors on the freestyle side with three-time World champion and Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs and World bronze medalist James Green being two of his primary training partners.
“We’ve got a lot of good guys there that have been wrestling three, four years of freestyle already, and I get to train with Burroughs. We all know that I get to work out with Burroughs quite a bit, so it’s just something that hopefully I pick up on a few skills from him and just continue to progress in both the freestyle and Greco,” said Kokesh.
When he ventures to the OTC, Kokesh is really able to hone in on the details of Greco and further develop on the technical side of his wrestling.
“I come out to the Olympic Training Center at least once a month for a week or so, and also doing training at Nebraska,” Kokesh said. ““[My skills] have definitely been progressing since I started. I’ve definitely struggled in the bottom position, in the par terre position especially, you know Greco guys are really, really good in gut wrenches and stuff, so definitely been spending a lot of time there. I definitely have improved there. My feet has also improved quite a bit.”
Kokesh will make his international debut at the Dave Schultz Memorial International this weekend in Colorado Springs. He will be competing in Greco-Roman at 75 kg and in freestyle at 74 kg.
Even though the international styles, especially Greco-Roman, are still quite foreign to him the mindset remains the same as every other time he has graced a wrestling mat.
“I love to compete. It’s just going out there and competing and I love to wrestle. I haven’t been training much freestyle for sure. I’ve been training mostly Greco, but it’s a little more similar to folkstyle, so just go out there and wrestle. I’ve just got to get better from here on,” said Kokesh.
The Dave Schultz Memorial International will be held Jan. 28-30 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. and can be viewed live, in its entirety, on Flowrestling.com.
