ronald wesley maly

Jake Patacsil has done his homework.

And the first-year Central College assistant wrestling coach thinks he’s prepared to return to the mat and contend for an elusive first title at the Midlands Championships at Evanston, Ill. Dec. 29-30. It’s considered the top wrestling tourney in the U.S. this side of the NCAA Division I meet.

A former Big Ten Medal of Honor winner for academic and athletic achievement at Purdue, Patacsil finished third at 149 pounds three times at the Midlands tourney as an undergraduate, then placed second at 157 pounds last year following graduation. Patacsil, who earned all-America distinction in 2009, was a three-time team MVP at Purdue.

Defending Midlands champion Steve Fittery of American University., the No. 1-ranked NCAA wrestler at 157 pounds, is listed as the top contender at this year’s tournament. Patacsil is listed second, ahead of Northwestern standout Jason Welch and Derek St. John of Iowa.

Patacsil attacks each tournament like a physics test, studying opponents, their moves and their weaknesses, as well as his own.

“The big thing is Jake is what I would call a thinking man’s wrestler,” Central head coach Eric Van Kley said. “He’s a very bright guy who has figured out how to use his strengths and put guys in a bad position. And I think that’s part of the reason he feels so good about his chances this year. He’s had another year of experience and he’s that much more mature, that much smarter.”

Conversely, a unique style makes Patacsil tough for opponents to prepare for. Instead of scoring with takedowns and escapes, Patacsil likes to rack up riding time, with his matches typically ending amid a flurry of back points.

It’s a style developed partly by necessity because of Patacsil’s build, but also by design.

“Back in high school when I first started wrestling, I was shown how to do a cradle,” he said. “I have real long arms and when I used a cradle, very few JV wrestlers could withstand that, so I had tons of pins. I didn’t work on my feet at all, I just kept developing new and better cradles. I was so bad on my feet, sometimes I would just let opponents take me down , then I’d roll them through and try to pin them.”

It’s a style that continues to evolve.

“The main stuff I use is basic high school stuff I was taught right at the beginning, mostly tilts and cradles,” Patacsil said. “But I also have my own unique, funky moves.

“I definitely study ways people can get out on me. I try to go against as many people as I can to see different styles. If I hear of someone who’s doing something different, I like to wrestle them and learn. You never know when you might run into a style like that in a big match.”

Because opponents are less familiar with Patacsil, he finds more weaknesses he can expose.

“When you’re on top, some people are really bad at defending anything,” he said. “Most college wrestlers are really good on their feet. I’m in more of a niche category. Against my style, people’s flaws come out a little more.”

But Patacsil’s analysis reveals other advantages.

“When you turn a person you get your two or three (back) points, and then you can turn them again,” he said. “There’s nothing you have to give up to get more points. If you cut them—take them down and let them go--you have to give up an escape point before you can try to take them down again and get two points. I can rack up more points in a shorter amount of time than anyone on their feet.”

It’s a high-stakes style, but Patacsil is a fearless gambler, and a bad draw only makes him more confident the next card is an ace. At last year’s Midlands, he breezed through four matches with two major decisions and two technical falls. But after taking an early lead against Fittery in the championship match, he got caught with a move that resulted in getting pinned with 8 seconds left in the first period.

Patacsil’s confidence never wavered.

“I take a few more risks than some people would,” he said. “The way I think of it, it works nine out of 10 times. That time was the exception. But I’ve been pinned a lot of times in my career.”

Patacsil left Central’s campus last Wednesday for some final Midlands training back at Purdue, where his brother Sam is a two-time all-American for the Boilermakers. But while coaching at Central, Patacsil also works out with the Dutch wrestlers and that’s accelerated his preparation.

“I try to work out with the heavier guys, like Tommy (Van Renterghem) (junior, Oskaloosa) and Ivan (Gaeta) (junior, Bremerton, Wash., Olympic HS),” he said. “Their strength gives me a challenge and gets me tired, which is good. Last year I was coaching in high school and that didn’t prepare me very well. When you’re on top, most of the time it doesn’t matter who you’re wrestling. People feel very similar. But the thing that really helps at Central is that Tommy and Ivan are a lot better on their feet than those guys from high school.”

Patacsil doesn’t intend on wrestling any other tournaments this year. He’s firmly committed to a career in coaching.

“I couldn’t see myself doing anything else,” he said.

Yet two years after graduation, he remains on a quest. The fact that he’s never won a Midlands crown drives him, just as being an overlooked Florida high school wrestler helped fuel the desire that propelled him to a state championship his senior year.

“I wasn’t picked to win state that year,” he said. “And as a junior, I was completely off the radar and I finished third. I like to go against the best and see how well I do.

“Maybe if I’d won the (Midlands) title, I wouldn’t have such a chip on my shoulder. But it’s not all about titles for me. It’s about having fun and competing with the best college

wrestlers in the country.”

Patacsil’s love of the underdog role makes him an ideal fit for Central’s wrestling program, which is undergoing a dramatic turnaround under Van Kley. The Dutch, who were 0-15-1 and finished Van Kley’s first season with just four wrestlers in 2007-08, now number nearly 40 competitors and are coming off a 10-9 campaign in which Van Kley shared league coach of the year honors.

Van Kley loves having Patacsil in the Dutch wrestling room.

“The biggest thing he brings is his experience,” Van Kley said. “He’s been there, he’s accomplished some of the things we want to do. And day to day, the other thing he brings is his work ethic. He’s always trying to better himself and serve as a great model for a young team.”

A Dutch wrestler mastering Patacsil’s style in a season at Central is a bit like trying to learn Russian in a month, but he’s taught a few Dutch wrestlers some new moves.

“Bryan Connolly (freshman, Naples, Fla., Gulf Coast HS) has been one of the big beneficiaries,” Patacsil said. “I’ve seen him hit a couple of roll-throughs. And the Atwells—Joe Atwell (sophomore, Jamaica, Panorama HS) and Josh Atwell (junior, Jamaica, Perry HS)—have used some moves. They’re not particularly long-armed guys, but you can definitely teach it to people to a degree.

“But I haven’t shown the guys some of the funkier stuff yet.”

Patacsil especially enjoys working with younger wrestlers.

“Some older guys are more set in their ways,” he said. “Some of the younger guys don’t have as much skill but they have the heart and the drive to try it. You tell them something and they’ll do it.”

Practices are Central are fast-moving and intense, but short, leaving lots of time for individual work after practice for those who are interested. That’s when Patacsil teaches moves, tells wrestlers what he’s seeing in dual matches and analyzes areas of weakness.

“With a new move it’s just a matter of them getting their confidence up,” he said. “Once they start hitting it in practice, hopefully they’ll start hitting it in live matches.”

And the former Division I all-American is loving his time at Division III Central.

“It’s nice,” he said. “The environment is really cool, it’s such a family-oriented place. Plus I get experience in all aspects of coaching.

“Before this I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. But I’m super happy with how supportive Central has been. This is a very big learning experience for me.”

Central’s academic emphasis is a fit for Patacsil as well. That helped him stand out in the hiring process.

“What impressed us most was that he has excelled in many areas,” Van Kley said. “In addition to being an outstanding wrestler, he’s a great student and was involved in all aspects of being a student-athlete.”

Patacsil’s coaching career is off to a promising start. But at least one more time, Patacsil will take his funky moves to the mat when he tries to tilt his way to a title at the Midlands.

“We’re excited to see how he does,” Van Kley said. “It’s a neat opportunity for our guys to see someone they work out with every day wrestle at that level. It’s kind of fun.”

Central’s season resumes Jan. 2 at the Menlo (Calif.) Invitational at Atherton, Calif.

[This story was written by Larry Happel of Central College, and submitted to Ron Maly].