National Champions Q&A: Tolly Thompson

John Fuller TheMat.com
06/15/2005

Tolly Thompson of the Sunkist Kids was a forgotten man a couple of years ago. Many said that a knee injury following his 1998 U.S. Nationals title pretty much ended his career. That was until this year, when Thompson pinned young Steve Mocco in the national finals to get back to the top of the ladder at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Now, Thompson is in the best position ever to compete in the World Championships. TheMat.com spoke with Thompson about his resurgence and his experiences throughout his career. TheMat.com: You haven’t won a national title since 1998. How did it feel to finally be back on top? Thompson: It was great. It took a while, but through perseverance, I was able to do it. TheMat.com: Since 1999, all the talk was of Stephen Neal and then Kerry McCoy. Last year, everyone was talking about Steve Mocco. Did you feel underestimated at all? Thompson: Not really. I knew my abilities and I just worried about myself. Steve’s a great competitor and they should be talking about him. Neal was a World champ – they should be talking about him. Kerry was a two-time Olympian. I understand. TheMat.com: Is this the best you have wrestled since 1998? Thompson: No. I wrestled pretty good in 2002 at the Pan Ams. I beat (Alexis) Rodriguez. As far as putting tournaments together and feeling pretty good, I’ve been wrestling pretty good. TheMat.com: You suffered a knee injury after winning that national title. Do you feel that was your biggest setback? Thompson: It set me back for a while. Your environment sets you back, too. Where you’re training, if you have the right people around you and if you’re happy where you’re training – I think that plays a factor as well. TheMat.com: You’ve been around wrestling for a very long time. What is the biggest change you have seen in the sport since you began competing? Thompson: The rules are the biggest thing. Trying to keep up and adapt. Heck, they changed Greco last week! Besides the rules, I don’t know. There are a lot of us older guys that won the U.S. Nationals this year. That was kind of surprising, because usually youth prevails. TheMat.com: How difficult is it for you to balance being a family man, a working man and train to make World and Olympic teams? Thompson: Obviously I have a pretty strong support staff here at home. I’m kind of lucky. I have a revolving gate. I can come and go as I please, and that’s because my wife is very independent. She’s like a single mom at times. I can go to Colorado Springs any time I please. She knows what the ultimate goal is. She doesn’t say a whole lot – she just says ‘get the job done.’ Northern Iowa is an easy place to work out. My job is to develop kids in the wrestling room, and I enjoy that more than anything. That’s the best job in the world. TheMat.com: How long can we expect to see Tolly Thompson wrestling? Thompson: I don’t know. For a while, unless I have a major injury like I had in ’98. It took me three or four years to come back from that. My body is as healthy as it’s ever been. They changed these rules and it actually helped me – one day weigh-in, one-day tournament and four-minute matches. I weigh 265 pounds every day of my life. It makes it easier for me to keep competing.