Posted 11/10/05
Dane Droessler is a sophomore wrestler at UW-Platteville. Droessler, a native of Platteville, was 13-16-1 in his first year. He and the Pioneers begin their new season this week, facing UW-Oshkosh Thursday at 7 p.m. in Williams Fieldhouse and wrestling at the Spartan Invitational in Dubuque Sunday.
How excited are you to begin the new season Thursday?
"I'm excited, as long as everything goes right. I think our team pretty much stayed together after last year, and we finished strong. We should have an exciting year."
What kinds of things do you do to get ready for a season?
"The season is long as it is, and the preseason is. We started the first day of school doing captains' practices, running every day and weight lifting. We try and do that all year long, and maintaining good shape all year is important."
Do you alter your diet once you're in the season?
"Oh yeah. You have to. I try not to wait until the last second to alter my diet. I try and make it at least a month and probably two months to get to a specific weight. It's like any diet."
Do you have a really strict diet, looking at calories and everything?
"Some people do, but I've been wrestling for so long that I don't have to do that. I pretty much know my body and how it will react to different foods."
Everyone who talks about the wrestlers seems to bring up your drill of carrying each other up and down the stadium steps. Did you see that and think 'what'?
"College wrestling is a whole different level from high school. You don't realize that until you get into it. It's a lot of wear on your body throughout the year, and training is stepped up. You get used to it as you go, and it's easier the second year than the first."
Is it fun for you to wrestle in your hometown?
"I think so. In a way, there's a little more pressure and they have expectations of you. They're going to be watching you. It is fun, though. I still have a little brother (Travis) in high school, and my parents have to alternate where they go. I still have grandparents, cousins and other relatives who come from match-to-match. Sometimes there are a lot there. It's nice to have that support."
Have the Pioneers set goals for this year?
"At one of the first captains' practices, we talked about our finish last year at the conference meet, which we took third. Obviously we were happy with that, but from here on in, we're looking to build on that. We're not willing to go back down to fourth or fifth. We're trying to take the next step up."
Interview by SID Paul Erickson