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* Mindset of a Champion - I CAN WIN Formula

As a young AWN Freshman All American collegiate wrestler, I lost a heart breaking first round match at the National Championships my Freshman year, my coach immediately gave me some good advice. Coach let me know that I could either go sulk and relive my first round match for the next three days of the competition, or I could take this opportunity to gain an invaluable insight by studying the individuals who will come out as the Champions of this annual gathering of 350 battle hardened American wrestlers. I took his advice and used my competitor credentials to study up close, the common traits of the wrestlers who separated themselves from the hundreds of others. The ones who emerged as the Champions, one in each of the ten weight classes.  

What I soaked up over the next few days of the tournament, enabled me to begin emulating those traits and return over the next few years as a highly decorated NCAA All American competitor, who even upset a few defending National Champions along the way.

 I sum up the Mind Set of the Champion as the I CAN WIN formula:

 Intensity                   

 Confidence

 Attitude

 Never Say Die

 Will

 Intestinal Fortitude - GUTS

 No Doubt

 “I” is for Intensity. You can see it in the eyes of a champion, they are focused and already have the end result in sight. They take on the challenges that confront them in a workman like manner, never wavering from their purpose. Champs thrive on the intensity of competition, and climbing to new levels of achievement.

 “C” is for Confidence. Every Champion I’ve observed carries himself with an air of confidence. Not to be confused with cockiness. They are what they are; and that’s ready to beat you any way they have to. They don’t look ahead dismissing the immediate challenge that is in front of them in an over-confident manner. They take one match at a time, and enter the circle of competition fully focused and confident.

 “A” is for Attitude. Attitude is everything, sure champion’s get hurt and have set backs, but their attitudes and how they deal with the obstacles are what separate them from the majority. You can have an attitude, that “I’m going to beat you”, and still maintain high standards of sportsmanship.

 “N” is for Never Say Die. a great coach taught me that every competitor is subconsciously looking for a reason or an excuse to lose. The going gets tough and very uncomfortable in the heat of battle, human nature may tell you to just pack in and go home, back to a nice comfortable place. At Penn State, we called it finding our opponent’s “off button” you can feel it when it happens. Great champions do not have an “off button”, they possess a Never Say Die attitude and refuse to quit or let up. They remain relentless in pursuit of victory and use every moment of the clock to make it happen, they never coast on a lead or let up or quit when behind. They will not rest or look for comfort in anything less than victory.

 “W” is for Will. This is where the bulk of the traits are derived from. Do you have the Will to win, have you invested enough Sweat, tears and hard work to know that you deserve nothing short of victory. A champion can not be denied of the thousands of hours of training and extra effort that have gone into their quest for greatness. They have paid the price and enter the arena to simply cash in their chips, and take home what they have worked so hard for. The Will to win becomes engrained in the Champion from the investment he has made in thousands of hours of hard work and sacrifices.

 “I” is for Intestinal Fortitude - Guts. Champions are not front runners they do what it takes to “come back” when they get behind. If they get caught in a move or if an official’s call does not happen go their way, they don’t panic, lose focus or break up. They dig deep and derive a measure of Intestinal Fortitude to “Gut Out” a victory. No matter what, a true Champion will never quit.

 “N” is for No Doubt. Champions do not fall in to the trap that the majority of competitors do. That is to fill your head with doubt. They do not use the word “can’t” as often as others. Great Champions have already envisioned where they want to be.

John Hanrahan at the 1981 National Championships escaping from bottom in route
to upsetting the defending NCAA National Champion Matt Reiss by a score of 15-8.

John Hanrahan (L), at the 1981 National Championships, battling Iowa State’s defending
National Runner-Up Perry Hummel. Hanrahan came out on top by a score of 5-3.

John Hanrahan – 177 lb Open Division Champion of the Mid Atlantic Wrestling Association’s 2002
National Championships. Hanrahan Defeated NCAA Div II National Champion Duane Bastress in the finals.