University of Minnesota Athletics
All-American Guy; Senior Owen Elzen
2/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Owen Elzen isn't perfect, but to listen to Minnesota Head Coach J Robinson tell it, he's darn close to impeccable. Forgive J if he overstates his views on the fifth-year senior, but it's obvious that he's smitten (I use that term loosely) with Elzen and what he brings to the table for the Golden Gophers.
"He's the great American example," Robinson fawned. "He embodies all that is good about the United States. Owen is quiet, diligent, humble, calm in the face of adversity and has a great work ethic. He's all the things that you want your kid to be, but when you put them all together, he's invisible."
Perhaps the best way to truly understand what Robinson means when he talks about Elzen is to break down J's quote into his separate descriptors of the 2001 All-American. In addition, providing a famous quote or two wouldn't hurt to adequately explain Robinson's comments.
Let's start with the quiet and invisible part. Robinson is correct. Despite his muscular and imposing 197-pound frame, Elzen is a quiet, unassuming individual. Off the mat, he's a man of few words. He's not shy, but he's not outgoing either. He talks when he needs to. In pure Elzen form, he only speaks up when it's necessary for something to get done. He may come off as indifferent to issues that face the team, but to Elzen, his measured silence plays a role on the Golden Gopher squad.
"I think I'm a leader on the team, but I'm definitely a quiet leader," Elzen said. "I've never liked to work to get everyone motivated. I've never needed someone to do that for me - I'm able to motivate myself. I think I lead by example. I put everything into what I do on and off the mat."
"Leadership is practiced, not so much in words, as in attitude and in actions." -- Harold Geneen, Founder, MCI Communications
Putting everything into all that he does leads to Robinson's next observation of Elzen - diligence. The dictionary defines diligence as "careful attention; the opposite of negligence. 2. Interested and persevering application; devoted and painstaking effort to accomplish what is undertaken."
One need not look further than the example of the 2000-01 version of Elzen to understand why diligence is a key trait. In a dual meet at Hofstra, Elzen hurt his knee. After his match (a win by technical fall), Elzen said little to nothing about it. Later that day, Minnesota wrestled Princeton and Seton Hall. There was Elzen, winning by technical fall and pin, still not saying anything about the pain in his knee. The next day, while the team toured New York City, Assistant Coach Joe Russell noticed Elzen limping and walking slowly as they made their way through Central Park. Only once they got back home did Elzen and the coaches know that he was wrestling on a completely torn knee ligament.
Most athletes' seasons are over when a torn ACL comes into play. Not Elzen's. He postponed surgery until after the year and rehabbed.diligently. That perseverance paid off at NCAAs as Elzen gained his first All-America honor, finishing third in the nation.
"My injury allowed me to be able to work under circumstances that I hadn't faced before," Elzen commented. "It related well to the issues you face in tournaments and meets. It helped me better deal with my problems. It seems like I always am beat up in some way. You either deal with it or don't do it. I've just chosen to deal with it."
"He who labors diligently need never despair; for all things are accomplished by diligence and labor." -Menander (342 BC - 292 BC)
Through the lows of his injury troubles and the highs of winning an NCAA team title, Elzen has maintained an even keel. Robinson calls him humble. Never will you hear Elzen brag about his accomplishments. It's just not in his nature.
"It was big to get that All-American finish last year because it was in the team setting," Elzen said. "All the points I scored for the team was bigger for me than being an All-American. I wanted to do that for the team more than for myself."
This season, he has reason to boast, but there is virtually no chance of braggadocio becoming a part of Elzen's repertoire anytime soon. The numbers don't lie, though. Elzen, ranked third in the nation, is 28-2 overall, 18-0 in duals and 7-0 in the Big Ten. He's second on the team in wins by fall with eight and hasn't lost a match since a 6-5 loss to No. 2 Jon Trenge of Lehigh at Midlands. None of that is ever brought up by Elzen, though. He's humble, through and through.
"It is no great thing to be humble when you are brought low; but to be humble when you are praised is a great and rare attainment." -Saint Bernard (1091 - 1153)
Next on Robinson's glowing list of observations is Elzen's ability to be calm in the face of adversity. Whether it means not panicking when he gets in a difficult situation on the mat or when the injury bug bites for the umpteenth time, Elzen is calm when the storm is raging around him. He's just a stable, well-adjusted individual. It didn't happen over night. The mature Elzen we see today used his entire college career to grow as a wrestler and as a person.
"From the first day I got here, I've become more of an adult," Elzen said. "I've learned how to deal with a lot of different pressures. I've learned how to make the most out of any situation that is thrown at me."
"Always behave like a duck - keep calm and unruffled on the surface but paddle like the devil underneath." -Jacob Braude
Perhaps the most telling and significant of Robinson's remarks about Elzen is the reference to his exceptional work ethic. Clearly, it takes an outstanding work ethic to rehab a torn ACL and become a Division I All-American. But, for Elzen, working hard extends beyond the wrestling room. He truly embodies the term `scholar-athlete' (and has been named a U of M Scholar-Athlete in each of his years at Minnesota).
"For me, I've always wanted to do my best at everything that I do," Elzen said. "I can't separate wrestling and school. I can't work hard at one and not the other. I think I put more time into my schoolwork than some of the other guys. But, to me, anything that's worth doing is something that's worth doing well."
His top-notch work ethic will continue past his undergraduate days off the mat, but after NCAAs this season, it's time to hang the headgear up and walk away from the sport he loves. His ethic of working hard will be focused on his post-graduate studies. Currently a health and wellness major, Elzen plans to enter a 15-month master's program in hopes of someday becoming a nurse anesthesiologist. No one questions whether or not he will reach that career goal in the near future. If his wrestling career is any indication, no obstacle is too significant for Elzen to overcome with his incomparable work ethic.
"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all." -Sam Ewing
Maybe Robinson's words weren't overstated. To listen to Elzen's teammates, coaches and trainer, maybe the head coach is right on. (Let the Owen Elzen love fest begin here.)
"There's not enough Owen Elzens out there," trainer Nate Houska said. "I wish we had nine more guys just like him on the team. I can honestly say that I'll really miss having Owen wrestling here." Russell added, "He's consistent, diligent, tough but not a tough guy, a leader on the mat and in the classroom, a true scholar-athlete." "Owen is tough, quiet and dangerous on the mat," sophomore Garrett Lowney commented.
"Hardnosed," junior Luke Becker said.
"A machine," redshirt freshman Josh McLay said.
"Owen is the type of guy that embodies the thread of what makes America great," Robinson claimed. "He's the cement that binds the stones. He's a person that does what he needs to do without needing to get the accolades. Owen is an All-American in all senses of the phrase."
"I'll do anything for my team," Elzen said. "I'm definitely a team player. I might come off as indifferent, but I'll do anything for anybody on this team."
"Be not afraid of greatness: some men are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them." -William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), 'Twelfth Night'
Written by Men's Athletics Media Relations Wrestling Contact Kevin Kurtt
Try to find someone that has something bad to say about Owen Elzen. I dare you. Try to dig up some person that can criticize the senior from Eyota, Minn. I double dare you. Try to discover something about the 197-pound All-American that can ruin his reputation. I triple dog dare you. Why am I so confident that there exists no one that can disparage Elzen's name? Call it a hunch, but I swear, it cannot be done. (Ok, I'll concede that possibly the only people that can belittle Owen might be his oft-beaten opponents.)
Owen Elzen isn't perfect, but to listen to Minnesota Head Coach J Robinson tell it, he's darn close to impeccable. Forgive J if he overstates his views on the fifth-year senior, but it's obvious that he's smitten (I use that term loosely) with Elzen and what he brings to the table for the Golden Gophers.
"He's the great American example," Robinson fawned. "He embodies all that is good about the United States. Owen is quiet, diligent, humble, calm in the face of adversity and has a great work ethic. He's all the things that you want your kid to be, but when you put them all together, he's invisible."
Perhaps the best way to truly understand what Robinson means when he talks about Elzen is to break down J's quote into his separate descriptors of the 2001 All-American. In addition, providing a famous quote or two wouldn't hurt to adequately explain Robinson's comments.
Let's start with the quiet and invisible part. Robinson is correct. Despite his muscular and imposing 197-pound frame, Elzen is a quiet, unassuming individual. Off the mat, he's a man of few words. He's not shy, but he's not outgoing either. He talks when he needs to. In pure Elzen form, he only speaks up when it's necessary for something to get done. He may come off as indifferent to issues that face the team, but to Elzen, his measured silence plays a role on the Golden Gopher squad.
"I think I'm a leader on the team, but I'm definitely a quiet leader," Elzen said. "I've never liked to work to get everyone motivated. I've never needed someone to do that for me - I'm able to motivate myself. I think I lead by example. I put everything into what I do on and off the mat."
"Leadership is practiced, not so much in words, as in attitude and in actions." -- Harold Geneen, Founder, MCI Communications
Putting everything into all that he does leads to Robinson's next observation of Elzen - diligence. The dictionary defines diligence as "careful attention; the opposite of negligence. 2. Interested and persevering application; devoted and painstaking effort to accomplish what is undertaken."
One need not look further than the example of the 2000-01 version of Elzen to understand why diligence is a key trait. In a dual meet at Hofstra, Elzen hurt his knee. After his match (a win by technical fall), Elzen said little to nothing about it. Later that day, Minnesota wrestled Princeton and Seton Hall. There was Elzen, winning by technical fall and pin, still not saying anything about the pain in his knee. The next day, while the team toured New York City, Assistant Coach Joe Russell noticed Elzen limping and walking slowly as they made their way through Central Park. Only once they got back home did Elzen and the coaches know that he was wrestling on a completely torn knee ligament.
Most athletes' seasons are over when a torn ACL comes into play. Not Elzen's. He postponed surgery until after the year and rehabbed.diligently. That perseverance paid off at NCAAs as Elzen gained his first All-America honor, finishing third in the nation.
"My injury allowed me to be able to work under circumstances that I hadn't faced before," Elzen commented. "It related well to the issues you face in tournaments and meets. It helped me better deal with my problems. It seems like I always am beat up in some way. You either deal with it or don't do it. I've just chosen to deal with it."
"He who labors diligently need never despair; for all things are accomplished by diligence and labor." -Menander (342 BC - 292 BC)
Through the lows of his injury troubles and the highs of winning an NCAA team title, Elzen has maintained an even keel. Robinson calls him humble. Never will you hear Elzen brag about his accomplishments. It's just not in his nature.
"It was big to get that All-American finish last year because it was in the team setting," Elzen said. "All the points I scored for the team was bigger for me than being an All-American. I wanted to do that for the team more than for myself."
This season, he has reason to boast, but there is virtually no chance of braggadocio becoming a part of Elzen's repertoire anytime soon. The numbers don't lie, though. Elzen, ranked third in the nation, is 28-2 overall, 18-0 in duals and 7-0 in the Big Ten. He's second on the team in wins by fall with eight and hasn't lost a match since a 6-5 loss to No. 2 Jon Trenge of Lehigh at Midlands. None of that is ever brought up by Elzen, though. He's humble, through and through.
"It is no great thing to be humble when you are brought low; but to be humble when you are praised is a great and rare attainment." -Saint Bernard (1091 - 1153)
Next on Robinson's glowing list of observations is Elzen's ability to be calm in the face of adversity. Whether it means not panicking when he gets in a difficult situation on the mat or when the injury bug bites for the umpteenth time, Elzen is calm when the storm is raging around him. He's just a stable, well-adjusted individual. It didn't happen over night. The mature Elzen we see today used his entire college career to grow as a wrestler and as a person.
"From the first day I got here, I've become more of an adult," Elzen said. "I've learned how to deal with a lot of different pressures. I've learned how to make the most out of any situation that is thrown at me."
"Always behave like a duck - keep calm and unruffled on the surface but paddle like the devil underneath." -Jacob Braude
Perhaps the most telling and significant of Robinson's remarks about Elzen is the reference to his exceptional work ethic. Clearly, it takes an outstanding work ethic to rehab a torn ACL and become a Division I All-American. But, for Elzen, working hard extends beyond the wrestling room. He truly embodies the term `scholar-athlete' (and has been named a U of M Scholar-Athlete in each of his years at Minnesota).
"For me, I've always wanted to do my best at everything that I do," Elzen said. "I can't separate wrestling and school. I can't work hard at one and not the other. I think I put more time into my schoolwork than some of the other guys. But, to me, anything that's worth doing is something that's worth doing well."
His top-notch work ethic will continue past his undergraduate days off the mat, but after NCAAs this season, it's time to hang the headgear up and walk away from the sport he loves. His ethic of working hard will be focused on his post-graduate studies. Currently a health and wellness major, Elzen plans to enter a 15-month master's program in hopes of someday becoming a nurse anesthesiologist. No one questions whether or not he will reach that career goal in the near future. If his wrestling career is any indication, no obstacle is too significant for Elzen to overcome with his incomparable work ethic.
"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all." -Sam Ewing
Maybe Robinson's words weren't overstated. To listen to Elzen's teammates, coaches and trainer, maybe the head coach is right on. (Let the Owen Elzen love fest begin here.)
"There's not enough Owen Elzens out there," trainer Nate Houska said. "I wish we had nine more guys just like him on the team. I can honestly say that I'll really miss having Owen wrestling here." Russell added, "He's consistent, diligent, tough but not a tough guy, a leader on the mat and in the classroom, a true scholar-athlete." "Owen is tough, quiet and dangerous on the mat," sophomore Garrett Lowney commented.
"Hardnosed," junior Luke Becker said.
"A machine," redshirt freshman Josh McLay said.
"Owen is the type of guy that embodies the thread of what makes America great," Robinson claimed. "He's the cement that binds the stones. He's a person that does what he needs to do without needing to get the accolades. Owen is an All-American in all senses of the phrase."
"I'll do anything for my team," Elzen said. "I'm definitely a team player. I might come off as indifferent, but I'll do anything for anybody on this team."
"Be not afraid of greatness: some men are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them." -William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), 'Twelfth Night'
Written by Men's Athletics Media Relations Wrestling Contact Kevin Kurtt
