Rossetti

Mike Rossetti always figured Greco-Roman wrestling was more his style.

Now he's proving it.

The Cranberry Township resident and Northern Michigan University freshman recently won a bronze medal at the prestigious Petko Sirakov-Ivan Iliev International Greco-Roman Junior FILAWrestling Tournament in Bulgaria.

There were 14 wrestlers from numerous countries in his 185-pound weight class. The tournament was for wrestlers age 20 and under.

"It's always a goal to try to win the tournament,"Rossetti said. "I was happy with third place, though. I competed in an international Czech tournament two years ago and didn't do very well."

Rossetti wrestled for Seneca Valley High School for three years, winning the section championship as a junior with a 19-6 record, before heading to Northern Michigan to commit to Greco-Roman wrestling.

Rossetti completed his high school education through the Pennsylvania Distance Learning Charter School. He placed eighth in his weight class at the Junior National Wrestling Championships last summer in Fargo, N.D.

He does not wrestle for Northern Michigan. The United States Olympic Education Center, featuring one of the best Greco-Roman training programs in the country, is located there.

"I've had pretty intense training there for a while now,"Rossetti said. "I know I've gotten much better and I'll continue to get better."

Rossetti's training includes morning and afternoon workouts four days a week, along with strength and conditioning work each Wednesday. Along with live wrestling three days a week, he crosstrains with endurance and weight lifting workouts twice a week.

Rossetti is headed to the Greco-Roman Nationals this weekend in Las Vegas. He failed to place in that event last year.

After competing in the junior division, he plans to enter the senior division and compete again the next day.

"I want to win the junior tournament,"Rossetti said. "I feel like I'm capable of it. I don't expect to do real well in the senior tournament. ... I just want to see where I stand."

The top eight placers in the senior tournament qualify for the World Team Trials. The winner of that event wrestles the national champion in a best-of- three competition for a berth on the World Team.

"Within the next three or four years, I want to be in that position," Rossetti said.

Ultimately, he wants to make the U.S. Olympic team, as well as the World team.

"That's been my long-term goal since I started this,"Rossetti said.

During his years at Seneca Valley, Rossetti wrestled in Greco-Roman tournaments during the summer. He competes in six or seven tournaments per year now.

Greco-Roman wrestling emphases upper body strength and wrestlers are permitted to throw their opponents. Unlike high school wrestling, Greco-Roman style does not allow using one's legs on the opponent.

Majoring in construction management, Rossetti admits that it's challenging to balance his wrestling with academics.

"The season never ends," he said. "You train year round. You compete year round. It's all worth it to me. I love it."