Telford visits Demon wrestlers

After claiming their second-straight Southeast Conference team title, the Washington wrestling team is looking to continue improving for next season.

To help them for next season, they called upon the knowledge of University of Iowa three-time All-American wrestler Bobby Telford, who helped out at the Demons? summer wrestling camp on Monday and Tuesday.

Telford?s biggest message to the young Demon wrestlers could be summed up in one word: Accountability.

?One of the best things I?ve been taught since coming to Iowa was accountability,? Telford said. ?You are accountable for having yourself ready to go every day. You can?t come up with excuses. Nobody else in the country cares if you have a paper to write or if you aren?t feeling as well. You are here to do a job, and being accountable for the team is one of the biggest things I?ve learned.?

Telford, who at one point was ranked No. 1 in the nation in the heavyweight class in his senior season for the Hawkeyes, ran through drills and even grappled with a number of the athletes who were participating in the camp.

Despite originally being from Hockessin, Del., the Hawkeye wrestler noted that while geographically, styles change across the country, one thing remains constant.

?I think the biggest thing, coming from the east coast to the Midwest that carries over in the midst of styles, is work ethic,? Telford said. ?That goes for your whole life. If could be school, relationships in your family, or here for wrestling. You have to be ready and you can?t take days off. This camp is a short demonstration of what that?s about.?

Telford earned automatic qualification to the NCAA Championships in all four of the years he spent as a member of the Iowa wrestling team, earning two fifth-place and one fourth-place finish at Nationals. In the one year he didn?t place, he had to exit the tournament due to injury.

With his extensive knowledge and ability, Telford was able to pass a lot on to the Demon wrestlers, but said he is able to gain from experiences like these.

?You are always learning how to explain things to kids in different ways,? Telford said. ?Everyone?s body is different and everyone?s mind is different. It?s a challenge to show young men how to wrestle their style. Not everyone is going to wrestle like me, or like Terry Brands and Tom Brands. That?s the beauty of the sport: you do what works best for you. We are here to help push them.?

Although Telford works throughout the country at different camps, he mentioned that he always particularly enjoys the atmosphere that he experiences in Washington.

?We always line up camps across the country from the east coast, Montana, Colorado, everywhere,? Telford said. ?Sometimes you get excited about the camps, and this is something that is close to home. This is an Iowa town. People are passionate about the sport, and when I came into the workout room at about 8 a.m., there are 40 or 50 kids lifting. That always fires me up.?