OMAHA, NE (March 11, 2010) - After flying across five states and covering 1,000-plus miles, three wrestlers traded in the rainy conditions due to hit the Kutztown area for the wintry mix that Omaha has to offer this weekend at the 2010 NCAA Division II National Championship hosted by the University of Nebraska-Omaha in Sapp Fieldhouse. Bracket Updates
With 160 wrestlers from 39 different schools set to take to the national stage, the Golden Bear trio of Tim Darling (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth), Scott Snyder (Slatington, PA/Northern Lehigh) and Kevin Bolinsky (Ashland, PA/North Schuylkill) prepare both mentally and physically, while taking in the sights of a new locale.
“We didn't really get to do much other than sit in the hotel and go out to eat,” said Snyder. “This is no different than any wrestling tournament we've participated in other than having to fly for it.”
Bolinsky showed some nerves early on in the trip from Kutztown, not from the magnitude of nationals, but because he would be flying in an airplane for the first time since about eighth grade.
“That first flight made me a little nervous,” said Bolinksy. “It was kind of a smaller plane, but our flight in from Chicago was a bigger plane and made me feel more comfortable. Once we to the hotel we pretty much sat around and did nothing, I loved every single second of it.”
On the flight, Darling spent his time doing some scouting. Not on the wrestlers he'd be going against, but on the city he was visiting for the first time of his life.
“The person sitting next to me on the plane was from Omaha, so I picked his brain a bit,” said Darling. “He told me it was a small town atmosphere with good people, which is right up my alley. All of the people I've run into so far have been nice to me.”
The always personable Darling had no problem making friends and joking around with the waitress and fellow patrons at the laid back Ozone Steakhouse on Thursday evening. The three wrestlers showed their mellow demeanor as they took in the tunes of the live jazz band and sang along as a cover of The Temptation's was played.
“Some guy came out with a crazy tiger shirt and started singing 'My Girl', it was great,” said Darling. “That's the kind of music I like to listen to, it keeps me relaxed. Other guys might like to listen to fast paced, head banging music to get amped up, but that gets you angry and gives you tunnel vision on the mat.”
As they spent Wednesday and Thursday not thinking much about wrestling, make no mistake that the trio is focused and ready to take care of business once the first whistle is blown on Friday morning.
