University of Minnesota Athletics
Going and Going...; Junior Wrestler Jared Lawrence
2/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
According to his coaches, trainers and teammates, Lawrence is the nickname king on the 2001-02 Golden Gopher squad. His brother, Brett, is more than happy to tell the story of a few of the nicknames. But, ask Jared about his monikers and there's only one that he deems acceptable for print - The Energizer. (It must be said that Lawrence threatened physical harm to the author if any other nicknames made it into the story...so we'll stick with The Energizer.)
But why The Energizer? What about Lawrence equates him with the battery company's `spokes hare'? The answer is readily apparent in the wrestling room and on the mat during meets. Lawrence just keeps going and going in practice and in competition. No one is going to outwork or outlast him. He won't allow it, for Lawrence takes too much pride in his work ethic.
"I take pride in how hard I work," Lawrence explained. "It's both for me and everybody in the wrestling room. I want to be someone that the younger guys look up to. I want them to see what we do and how hard we work to get where we are now. At matches, it shows other people that Minnesota wrestlers are always going and going."
His older brother, a 2001 All-American as a senior, agrees. "He's just one hard-working, diligent guy that is really in it for the team. I think that's the thing I admire the most about him. He's out for everyone as a whole, not just himself. He does the little things to make sure everyone is on the same page."
No matter what the wrestling-related topic is for Lawrence, it seems the subject always shifts toward hard work. One gets the impression that his obsession with working hard will lead nowhere but to great things for this Sandpoint, Idaho native. Lawrence realizes that he's not the stereotypical stocky, bulky 149-pounder that beats his opponents throught brute strength. He knows that, for him to be victorious in each match, he must outskill and outwork his opponent.
"Maybe I'm not as strong as some guys I face, but I think I'm better technically than a lot of my opponents," Lawrence said. "One of my biggest assets is my gas tank. I wear the other guy down. I train that way to try to break the other guy in practice and in meets."
How does one develop a bottomless gas tank? How does a wrestler or an athlete in general become the proverbial Energizer Bunny? How does Lawrence train to break his opponent? For him, it's the time just after a match that is most significant in building a nonstop engine.
"Win or lose, I always do something after my match," Lawrence said. "I always get some extra conditioning, another workout, after a match when the adrenaline is flowing and I'm tired. Usually, it's not to show the other guy that I'm not tired; it's just for me and my conditioning."
Brett added, "After a match is the best time to work out, physically and mentally. It let's the other guy know that he didn't wear his opponent out."
In addition to training immediately following his matches, Lawrence uses his negative wrestling experiences as inspiration to increase his level of work in the wrestling room. While many athletes get down after a loss and lose motivation, Lawrence uses his defeats as tools for future success. (It's a tool that the Minnesota football team might want to think about using.)
"I don't take losses real well. But the losses give me a burning feeling deep down to improve and win the next time out. After a loss, I just want to work harder and harder. I've been busting my butt after my losses to [Iowa's Mike] Zadick this season. It just gives me that extra fuel, that extra motivation to do better the next time."
His brother, an obvious wealth of information on Jared, added, "When Jared wrestles well and loses, that's the breaks. Instead of being down, he comes back and trains even harder."
For Lawrence, training harder means going the extra mile in the wrestling room. "Most of the guys on the team don't know it, but for parts of the season, I'll sneak in an extra workout with [Tim] Hartung every now and then. Sometimes I get that extra 45 minute workout in to make it a three-a-day."
It's that sort of dedication to work that makes Lawrence a true leader on the 2001-02 Minnesota squad. While Luke Becker and Owen Elzen may be the quiet leaders, Lawrence and Leroy Vega ascribe to the theory of vocal leadership among the upperclassmen. Every team needs the guy who's not afraid to speak up in team meetings. Lawrence is that guy.
"He's a vocal leader and a good leader to have," Assistant Coach Joe Russell said. "He talks to and spends time with the younger guys. Jared is kind of like a coach. He makes our jobs a lot easier." Lawrence explained, "I talk a lot in the lockerroom. It's just something I feel comfortable doing. I don't really get ticked at people, but I'm not afraid to act out when I need to. I have no problem telling a freshman that he's not working hard enough."
Again with the hard work. It's a theme that clearly runs deep in Lawrence. It's a theme that he hopes will lead to his ultimate goal of winning an individual NCAA championship. His past two national tournaments have ended with somewhat disappointing sixth-place finishes. But Lawrence has not let those finishes damper his spirit or his drive to reach his goal of winning it all.
"The individual NCAA title is my focus," Lawrence commented. "And, to get that, I need to be selfish. I need to focus more on me this season. Sure, it conflicts a little with the way I am in practice and in meets with the team, but to win, I need to be selfish."
Russell agrees, "We've told him, `try to worry more about yourself and less about your teammates.' Jared is not selfish; he wants to win, but he still cares about his teammates a lot."
Obviously, meeting his ultimate goal of winning a national crown will take a lot of hard work on Lawrence's part. But helping him along the way are two of the most significant people in Lawrence's wrestling life - Brett and teammate Luke Becker. There's the obvious bond between brothers, but Lawrence also has a strong connection to Becker, a roommate and practice partner in each of the past three seasons. Russell calls Luke and Jared "inseparable twins."
Lawrence explained, "We're great partners for each other plus we're best friends. But we don't get along at all when we wrestle each other. I go at it harder with him than anyone else and he does the same with me. I guess it just shows how competitive we are."
The similarities between the two are amazing. Both were multi-state title winners during their prep career. Both were ranked No. 1 in the nation coming out of high school. Both are two-time All-Americans. And now Lawrence and Becker are each ranked in the top three in their respective weight class. It would surprise no one on the Minnesota team if both Becker and Lawrence reach their goal of winning an NCAA title in the same season.
Perhaps a stronger bond belongs to the Lawrence brothers. Brett wrestled at Minnesota from 1996-2001, earning All-America honors his senior year with his eighth-place finish at NCAAs. Now Brett works with the coaching staff, performing numerous duties. But it's his dedication to his brother that may be the most significant duty that Brett has now at Minnesota.
"It's great having my brother here," Jared said. "I love having him around. He does anything for me to make me better. He knows the goal that I'm working for more than anyone else."
Brett added, "It was a big thing for me when Jared decided to come here. I'm close to the guys in my class, but it's different with true blood family here. He believed in me a tremendous amount when I was wrestling. That helped me a lot. We're each others' biggest fan." With an established support network, an outstanding work ethic and a full gas tank, Lawrence is destined for greatness at the University of Minnesota. Whether he attains his ultimate goal this season or the next, one thing remains a certainty - Lawrence will keep going and going and going....
"He wants to win almost too much," Russell said. "Winning a national title is like life and death to him. Jared will do whatever it takes to win. He's the kind of guy that gives meaning to the phrase `come with honor or come home on your sword.'"
Jared Lawrence isn't a pink bunny. He's not a pitchman for a battery. But the similarities between the sunglasses-wearing rabbit and the two-time All-American are numerous. Like the bunny, Lawrence seems to have an unlimited supply of fuel to burn. Also like the bunny, no obstacle seems too big to overcome. So, look out, little pink bunny, there's a new Energizer in town.
"Energy and persistence conquer all things."
-- Benjamin Franklin (1706-90), American public official, writer, scientist, helped draft Constitution
Written by Men's Athletics Media Relations Wrestling Contact Kevin Kurtt He isn't a pink bunny. He doesn't play a drum. You aren't likely to find him wearing shades and blue sandals. He's not featured in countless television and print advertisements for batteries. But, junior two-time All-American Jared Lawrence does keep going and going and going and going and going....
According to his coaches, trainers and teammates, Lawrence is the nickname king on the 2001-02 Golden Gopher squad. His brother, Brett, is more than happy to tell the story of a few of the nicknames. But, ask Jared about his monikers and there's only one that he deems acceptable for print - The Energizer. (It must be said that Lawrence threatened physical harm to the author if any other nicknames made it into the story...so we'll stick with The Energizer.)
But why The Energizer? What about Lawrence equates him with the battery company's `spokes hare'? The answer is readily apparent in the wrestling room and on the mat during meets. Lawrence just keeps going and going in practice and in competition. No one is going to outwork or outlast him. He won't allow it, for Lawrence takes too much pride in his work ethic.
"I take pride in how hard I work," Lawrence explained. "It's both for me and everybody in the wrestling room. I want to be someone that the younger guys look up to. I want them to see what we do and how hard we work to get where we are now. At matches, it shows other people that Minnesota wrestlers are always going and going."
His older brother, a 2001 All-American as a senior, agrees. "He's just one hard-working, diligent guy that is really in it for the team. I think that's the thing I admire the most about him. He's out for everyone as a whole, not just himself. He does the little things to make sure everyone is on the same page."
No matter what the wrestling-related topic is for Lawrence, it seems the subject always shifts toward hard work. One gets the impression that his obsession with working hard will lead nowhere but to great things for this Sandpoint, Idaho native. Lawrence realizes that he's not the stereotypical stocky, bulky 149-pounder that beats his opponents throught brute strength. He knows that, for him to be victorious in each match, he must outskill and outwork his opponent.
"Maybe I'm not as strong as some guys I face, but I think I'm better technically than a lot of my opponents," Lawrence said. "One of my biggest assets is my gas tank. I wear the other guy down. I train that way to try to break the other guy in practice and in meets."
How does one develop a bottomless gas tank? How does a wrestler or an athlete in general become the proverbial Energizer Bunny? How does Lawrence train to break his opponent? For him, it's the time just after a match that is most significant in building a nonstop engine.
"Win or lose, I always do something after my match," Lawrence said. "I always get some extra conditioning, another workout, after a match when the adrenaline is flowing and I'm tired. Usually, it's not to show the other guy that I'm not tired; it's just for me and my conditioning."
Brett added, "After a match is the best time to work out, physically and mentally. It let's the other guy know that he didn't wear his opponent out."
In addition to training immediately following his matches, Lawrence uses his negative wrestling experiences as inspiration to increase his level of work in the wrestling room. While many athletes get down after a loss and lose motivation, Lawrence uses his defeats as tools for future success. (It's a tool that the Minnesota football team might want to think about using.)
"I don't take losses real well. But the losses give me a burning feeling deep down to improve and win the next time out. After a loss, I just want to work harder and harder. I've been busting my butt after my losses to [Iowa's Mike] Zadick this season. It just gives me that extra fuel, that extra motivation to do better the next time."
His brother, an obvious wealth of information on Jared, added, "When Jared wrestles well and loses, that's the breaks. Instead of being down, he comes back and trains even harder."
For Lawrence, training harder means going the extra mile in the wrestling room. "Most of the guys on the team don't know it, but for parts of the season, I'll sneak in an extra workout with [Tim] Hartung every now and then. Sometimes I get that extra 45 minute workout in to make it a three-a-day."
It's that sort of dedication to work that makes Lawrence a true leader on the 2001-02 Minnesota squad. While Luke Becker and Owen Elzen may be the quiet leaders, Lawrence and Leroy Vega ascribe to the theory of vocal leadership among the upperclassmen. Every team needs the guy who's not afraid to speak up in team meetings. Lawrence is that guy.
"He's a vocal leader and a good leader to have," Assistant Coach Joe Russell said. "He talks to and spends time with the younger guys. Jared is kind of like a coach. He makes our jobs a lot easier." Lawrence explained, "I talk a lot in the lockerroom. It's just something I feel comfortable doing. I don't really get ticked at people, but I'm not afraid to act out when I need to. I have no problem telling a freshman that he's not working hard enough."
Again with the hard work. It's a theme that clearly runs deep in Lawrence. It's a theme that he hopes will lead to his ultimate goal of winning an individual NCAA championship. His past two national tournaments have ended with somewhat disappointing sixth-place finishes. But Lawrence has not let those finishes damper his spirit or his drive to reach his goal of winning it all.
"The individual NCAA title is my focus," Lawrence commented. "And, to get that, I need to be selfish. I need to focus more on me this season. Sure, it conflicts a little with the way I am in practice and in meets with the team, but to win, I need to be selfish."
Russell agrees, "We've told him, `try to worry more about yourself and less about your teammates.' Jared is not selfish; he wants to win, but he still cares about his teammates a lot."
Obviously, meeting his ultimate goal of winning a national crown will take a lot of hard work on Lawrence's part. But helping him along the way are two of the most significant people in Lawrence's wrestling life - Brett and teammate Luke Becker. There's the obvious bond between brothers, but Lawrence also has a strong connection to Becker, a roommate and practice partner in each of the past three seasons. Russell calls Luke and Jared "inseparable twins."
Lawrence explained, "We're great partners for each other plus we're best friends. But we don't get along at all when we wrestle each other. I go at it harder with him than anyone else and he does the same with me. I guess it just shows how competitive we are."
The similarities between the two are amazing. Both were multi-state title winners during their prep career. Both were ranked No. 1 in the nation coming out of high school. Both are two-time All-Americans. And now Lawrence and Becker are each ranked in the top three in their respective weight class. It would surprise no one on the Minnesota team if both Becker and Lawrence reach their goal of winning an NCAA title in the same season.
Perhaps a stronger bond belongs to the Lawrence brothers. Brett wrestled at Minnesota from 1996-2001, earning All-America honors his senior year with his eighth-place finish at NCAAs. Now Brett works with the coaching staff, performing numerous duties. But it's his dedication to his brother that may be the most significant duty that Brett has now at Minnesota.
"It's great having my brother here," Jared said. "I love having him around. He does anything for me to make me better. He knows the goal that I'm working for more than anyone else."
Brett added, "It was a big thing for me when Jared decided to come here. I'm close to the guys in my class, but it's different with true blood family here. He believed in me a tremendous amount when I was wrestling. That helped me a lot. We're each others' biggest fan." With an established support network, an outstanding work ethic and a full gas tank, Lawrence is destined for greatness at the University of Minnesota. Whether he attains his ultimate goal this season or the next, one thing remains a certainty - Lawrence will keep going and going and going....
"He wants to win almost too much," Russell said. "Winning a national title is like life and death to him. Jared will do whatever it takes to win. He's the kind of guy that gives meaning to the phrase `come with honor or come home on your sword.'"
Jared Lawrence isn't a pink bunny. He's not a pitchman for a battery. But the similarities between the sunglasses-wearing rabbit and the two-time All-American are numerous. Like the bunny, Lawrence seems to have an unlimited supply of fuel to burn. Also like the bunny, no obstacle seems too big to overcome. So, look out, little pink bunny, there's a new Energizer in town.
"Energy and persistence conquer all things."
-- Benjamin Franklin (1706-90), American public official, writer, scientist, helped draft Constitution
Written by Men's Athletics Media Relations Wrestling Contact Kevin Kurtt
