Gfeller wrestling for more than himself in return to Cowboy program | Sports

Kaden Gfeller was already engaged on what he referred to as was his “dad bod” when he had a change of coronary heart.

The Oklahoma State wrestler had stepped away from the game that consumed a lot of his life, and was now consuming carbohydrates whereas beginning to elevate his new child daughter.

But in the waning weeks of what was supposed to be his first summer time out of school, he reached out to John Smith to see if there was a manner he might return for one more rodeo.

“I was missing practicing every day. Just being around the team – some of them my whole life, I wrestled just about every day, and then I go seven months without doing it at all,” Gfeller mentioned. “I needed to get back in there. and then the coaches started calling me and, one thing led to another and then I decided to come back.”

It wasn’t simply that straightforward, although.

Gfeller had not too long ago grow to be a father shortly after competing in the nationwide event final spring.

That was a part of why he elected to begin working in the true world, although he mentioned he “didn’t get to spend much time with Charlotte.”

That’s the place conversations with the teaching workers, in addition to discovering methods to nonetheless have an earnings to help his little one and fiancé, had to make it work for all concerned.

“We put him in pretty good position to where his child wasn’t going to be affected by it. I think that was a lot of relief for him,” the pinnacle wrestling coach mentioned. “And one of the biggest reasons to come back is that financially, he had an opportunity to do this without having the stress of trying to keep it all rolling in the right direction. So I’m glad we were able to do it and I’m glad he’s competing for us.”

While Smith welcomed him again, that “dad bod” was a bit alarming for the legendary head coach.

Just a number of quick months after wrestling at 141 kilos as a nationwide qualifier, Gfeller was pushing 200 kilos.

“It was disgusting. He got his weight up there a little high,” Smith mentioned. “You put that much weight on in the short period of time, it’s a lot of weight. … He actually thinks he’s a 157 pounder, and he’s actually a 141 pounder. So it’s pretty impressive what he’s doing.”

It has been a little bit of a thriller having Gfeller wrestling at 157 kilos this season.

All three of his losses to date had been by two factors or much less, with two of them coming to prime 20-ranked wrestlers on the weight. However, in his hardest match – towards then-ranked No. 2 Brayton Lee of Minnesota – Gfeller managed to grind out a 2-0 upset win three matches into the season to type of validate his place two weights increased in the lineup.

He heads into this weekend’s highway twin towards Columbia ranked No. 13 in his new weight class.

“I think that’s the biggest adjustment that I had to go through. I was working on my Dad Bod – I was about 200 pounds,” Gfeller mentioned. “I feel like a lot of people don’t realize just how hard that is: not do anything for seven months, come in at 200 pounds and then about two and a half months later be competing with Division I guys and beating some good guys.

“I feel like I’ve come a long way. I feel like I still have a lot more room to grow. I feel like I’m a little older, more wise as far as how I train and just my wrestling IQ I’d say is a lot higher.”

The weight isn’t the one factor that has modified for Gfeller.

According to his coach, his maturity and method are additionally completely different. And to these round him, they attribute it to him now being a father.

“I think he’s not too worried about a whole lot,” Smith mentioned. “When you have a baby in your arms every day there can be the drawback of keeping the guy intense, but I think you can also see the big picture when you have that child. And what I’ve seen, he’s been a really good father.”

And the Cowboy tremendous senior, who has had an up-and-down faculty wrestling profession, admits he additionally feels himself as a modified individual since changing into a father.

“It’s been amazing. It’s definitely life changing. Your priorities completely change,” Gfeller mentioned. “I don’t do anything for myself now. Everything’s for her.

“She’s just been the biggest blessing. I get to spend all day with her. And it’s cool to see her grow up, learn new things every day. She’s kind of starting to talk and she’s about to start walking, so it’s gonna be some fun milestones ahead here shortly.”