Since wrestling at the collegiate level, Berkshire Badgers’ graduate Lucas Stoddard has learned a few things. One of the most important things he has learned is to trust his instincts. It has been a lesson well-learned, highlighted by the 125-kilogram Army freshman going 4-0 to capture first place as member of Team USA at the U23 Pan-American Championships on June 22 in Rionegro, Columbia.
“For me it means more of belief in myself,” Stoddard told The Weekly Villager on June 25. “I struggled during the NCAA season with belief in myself and trusting the process, so being able to compete internationally and just trust myself and what I have learned, it is a huge confidence boost.”
After enjoying his latest victory for a few days, the 2023 Berkshire alum flew to Colorado Springs, CO last Sunday to train with the USA Olympic wrestling team for two weeks. He will return to Colorado Springs later in the month to train with Team USA as it prepares to compete in the U23 World Championships from Oct. 21 to Oct. 27 in Albania.
“Just getting to know the coaches who are traveling with us is really exciting, knowing it is not just on me but the whole team,” he added. “We are going to practice together, and we are going to know each other so when we get to Albania, it is Team USA.”
After proving he is one of the best wrestlers in his respective weight class in the Western Hemisphere, Stoddard will get a chance to show he is the top 125-kilogram wrestler in the entire world.
“Eastern Europe and Russia have some of the best wrestlers in the world so just getting to compete with guys on that level is an honor and eventually I want to beat guys on that level and I want to cement USA as the best country in the world in what we do,” he added.
Stoddard earned a place on Team USA when he took first place at the U23 National Championship on June 2. According to him, he saw an opportunity to continue wrestling in the offseason and he took it.
“It was more like: I love wrestling so let’s go compete at a wrestling tournament,” he noted. “It being in Geneva, Ohio, I got to stay home that weekend, so I slept in my own bed commuting to SPIRE every day, but it was more of, I love the sport and I love the grind so let’s just go find another place where I can go compete and wrestle.”
The 125-kilogram heavyweight carried his momentum into the U23 Pan-American Championships and was one of 10 members of Team USA who advanced to the championship in their respective brackets and became one of nine wrestlers who won a gold medal.
Stoddard said that his two toughest matches of the tournament came in the semifinal bout against Jonovan Smith from Team Puerto Rico, winning by a 5-0 margin and the championship match against Team Canada’s Jorawar Dhinsa, when he edged his opponent by a 2-1 decision.
“It took the most out of me to wrestle Dhinsa, he is a lot bigger than me and it takes a lot to move guys that big but most of them take everything you have at the international level,” said Stoddard. “Everybody is the best for their country and they are not just going to roll over.”
For Stoddard, as thrilling as it was to represent his country while winning a gold medal, he acknowledged that it was even more special that he let people know that a wrestler like him from a small community like Burton could compete at a high level.
“Berkshire High School is very unknown and even at high school in the state tournament I had the dream of putting this small town on the map,” Stoddard said. “It is a great feeling to know that no matter where I go the people of Burton have my back and I have theirs. The success came from somewhere and it is always rewarding to thank people who have been with you from day one.”
The U23 Pan-American Championships saw the best wrestlers in the Western Hemisphere battle for supremacy but when the U23 World Championships begin in October, the field will more than double and Stoddard will compete against some of the top competition across the globe.
“I love being the underdog because nobody ever expects that small-town kid from Burton will beat guys from Los Angeles or some other big-name schools,” Stoddard said. “We preached a lot at Army that we get better every single day. We were not the best guys in the world in high school, but we get better every single day.”
