CU coach to wrestle on big stage

A year removed from a phenomenal college wrestling career, Columbia assistant coach Adam Hall is not resting on his laurels.

Last December, Hall took first place in the 66-kilogram division at the Men’s Freestyle Olympic Trials Qualifier in Las Vegas, earning himself a spot at the 2012 Olympic Team Trials, which will be held in Iowa City on April 20.

The Idaho native is no stranger to success. Hall compiled a 122-18 record at Boise State, earning All-American honors and winning two Pac-10 championships as a Bronco. He was no less successful off the mat, garnering Pac-10 All-Academic Honors three times.

But in wrestling, as in any other sport, the trophies and medals only tell a small part of the story. “No matter how successful a wrestler is, they usually go through a lot more heartbreak,” Hall said.

He has faced his share of difficulties, but Hall’s competitive drive has allowed him to use his frustrations as fuel.

During his college years, Hall’s focus set him apart from his competitors. Even as a redshirt freshman, Hall’s discipline and maturity caught the eye of Boise State coach Greg Randall. “When he was a freshman and he was redshirting, he made weight every single tournament,” Randall said.

“He wasn’t even wrestling, but he made weight every single time.”

In his first two seasons wrestling for the Broncos, Hall had the kind of success any other underclassman would dream of, finishing second in the Pac-10 tournament both years and narrowly missing out on being named an All-American. “You’re so close to reaching your goal, and you know a lot of people can just hang their hats on getting that close,” Hall said. “For me it was two years of coming up short.”

The summer after his sophomore season, Hall redoubled his dedication to wrestling. He worked hard at mastering every aspect of the sport, focusing on skills and minute details while spending even more time trying to get stronger, never allowing himself to grow complacent.

It worked. As a junior, a more confident Hall was able to capture the Pac-10 crown in dramatic fashion, defeating Cal Poly’s Chase Pami, who had beaten him in the finals the year before. Hall took the title again the following year.

As he quickly became one of the best wrestlers in school history, Hall’s work ethic never flagged. Even injuries couldn’t derail Hall’s relentless pursuit of success.

“He had a torn labrum his senior year, and you know hardly anybody knew it on the team,” Randall said. Offseason knee surgery also failed to phase him. “I would go in and bike with one leg, watch film,” Hall said.

Hall’s combination of athletic prowess, mental fortitude, and unwavering dedication has allowed him to smoothly transition to coaching. As a first-year coach, the former Bronco has already made key contributions, both working with players and participating in recruiting. Most importantly, Hall leads by example.

“He’s extremely disciplined,” head coach Carl Fronhofer said. “He serves as the perfect role model.”

However, the Olympic qualifying process poses an entirely new set of challenges. The level of competition is extremely high, and in addition to having to drop to 145 pounds after competing at 157 in college, Hall is adjusting to a new style of wrestling. American colleges practice folkstyle wrestling, while international competitions are freestyle.

While he has freestyle wrestled in the past during off-season tournaments, his international resume was non-existent before this year. “I actually this year for the first time wrestled somebody else from a different country,” Hall said. Although adjusting to the competition has not been easy, weight has been the biggest challenge.

With a natural body weight of about 170 pounds, Hall falls in between weight classes. “It takes a lot for me to make weight,” Hall said.

The ability to make weight has been integral to Hall’s success in international competition, as he would otherwise have to wrestle at 74 kilos against wrestlers whose natural body weight is as much as 180, or perhaps more. According to Fronhofer, Hall’s weight class gives him a good chance of coming out on top. “The weight he’s competing at, 66 kilos, is pretty wide open,” Fronhofer said. “At 66 kilos, it’s kind of changed hands many times over the last five to six years.”

There are no low-hanging fruits at this level of athletic competition. However, given his impressive track record, even the slightest edge could be huge for an already confident and determined Hall.

“He’s a believer. Every time he steps out on the mat, he believes he’s gonna win,” Randall said.

The whole country may soon see no reason to doubt him.