Off the Mat with Justin Chrzanowski
1/17/2007 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
A bout with mononucleosis during the fall left sophomore/freshman Justin Chrzanowski sidelined for most of the first half of the season. Returning to the mat in December, he was quickly inserted into the U-M lineup as the Wolverines' 141-pound starter and has already faced a gauntlet of top-tier competition in one of the NCAA's toughest weight classes.
Coupling the inevitable growing pains of a first-year starter with the need for his reacclimation to the rigors of competition, Chrzanowski has struggled a bit in his return to action. But possessing a confidence that accompanies constant improvement and perseverance, he remains focused on the postseason tournaments and achieving his unwavering goals.
As the Wolverines roll in the New Year, Justin took some time before practice to talk about his roommates, how he started wrestling, and the key differences between the lightweights and upperweights.
On playing catch-up after missing the first half of the season ...
"I wasn't able to train for about 4-5 weeks. I couldn't lift, run or wrestle; I could only lie in bed and eat ice cream. Right when I came back, I felt really good because it was like a little break. I was really excited to get going and start wrestling. I came back at a really tough point in the season, though, as far as the people I'm wrestling and the tournaments we're attending. That's hard, and I wish I would have had the opens at the beginning of the year. I have some kinks I still have to work out, but I feel like the coaches and the guys on the team are helping me to work them out quickly. I really don't have a choice; I have to work out all the things I'm doing wrong quickly and be at my best really soon."
On his wrestling style ...
"I think it's a lot different than a lot of the kids on the team. I can't really even say what I'm good at anymore; it really depends on the circumstance. I like to funk around and get into funky positions and flip and roll. But I'm realizing now that that's not always the best idea. I basically got away with doing anything in high school, and now, every little thing I do wrong, I'm paying the price, and I'm paying it hard."
On advantages of his body type ...
"I think it's a real advantage for me being taller and longer. When someone gets in on my legs, I can still reach around them or reach through their legs and delay a takedown or get my own. I feel like if you're taller, you're going to wrestle differently than if you're shorter and stocky."
On the best thing about Michigan wrestling ...
"Everything. The guys on the team, everyone gets along really well. I'd probably say that the team unity is the best thing. Every single person is best friends with everybody else. We all go through the same things -- regardless of whether Eric (Tannenbaum) is going to be a doctor and I'm going to be a rock star -- our day is the same. We go to class until 3 p.m., go to practice, go to study table, and just hang out. Our lives basically are all the same right now. We go through everything together."
On how he got started with wrestling ...
"Through peewee football. One of my best friends on my peewee football team said, 'You know, when the season's done, you should wrestle.' Since he was a friend and I just wanted to hang out, I figured I'd try it out. I got beat a couple times right off the bat, but I got pretty good relatively quickly. I started when I was about 10 or 11 years old, and within a year or two I'd won a national. But wrestling was probably the most fun when I was bad at it. No stress at all. My dad and I would go out to eat after every event no matter what."
On growing up a Michigan State fan ...
"I actually didn't grow up a U-M fan at all. When I was younger, I was always cheering for State because they were the underdog in everything. But as I got older, I realized that U-M was the good school to go to. It has good academics and a great team. So it was kind of a no-brainer for me when Coach McFarland said I could come here."
On which weight class is the most exciting to watch ...
"It all depends. Sometimes I really like watching the 125 pounders because of the way (Mark) Moos wrestles. He wrestles a lot like I like to, and I like to watch him flip and roll and stuff. But I also think watching Eric (Tannenbaum), Steve (Luke), Ty (Todd) and even Omar (Maktabi) is really exciting too. I think it's kind of evened out."
On what separates the lighter weights from the middle and heavy weights ...
"I feel like there are a lot more funky positions with the lighter weights. With the heavier guys, they're always staying in really good positions and they're not making a lot of mistakes. I feel like the lighter weights are a little more speed and a lot more flipping and rolling."
On his goals for the season ...
"Over the summer, I just wanted to start. But now, I really want to make it to the NCAAs. I don't see any reason why I wouldn't be able to do that. The Big Ten is unbelievable at 141. We have several guys in the top five nationally. I want to get winning some matches here and end up with a decent record."
On his Mock Rock experience ...
"About two days prior to last year's event, everyone on the team told the freshmen we had to come up with an idea for Mock Rock. Me and my dorm neighbor, who wasn't a wrestler, just a typical, really smart, Michigan student, came up with the idea. (Michael) Watts got involved. We came up with the dance and the songs in about an hour. Rob (Sulaver) came in the night before. We just threw it together. But I thought it was awesome. I thought we were the best ones. We had the crowd."
On living off campus with teammates Steve Luke and Eric Tannenbaum ...
"We're always just hanging out. We do everything together -- go get something to eat, go to the mall. They're just fun guys, and we like picking on each other. The downside would have to be that Eric's always late to everything, and he's never on time for anything. Steve's always locking himself in his room by himself and sleeping."
On his welcome to D-I wrestling moment ...
"Probably just the first practice. I saw the guys who stayed in good position all the time. There are so many fewer mistakes at this level."
Note: "Off the Mat" runs in The Riding Times, an inside look at U-M wrestling.
