Javier Gasca Ready To Dive Into A Successful Season
11/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
By Jazzy Teen, MSU Athletic Communications Student Assistant
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Over four years ago, Roger Chandler (Michigan State wrestling assistant coach at the time) made a 2,600 mile trip to meet with a standout wrestler from Kingsburg, California. Across the table from him, sat an athlete with not just Division I potential, but with a heart, that unbeknownst at the time would be carrying the programs' success and comradery for the coming years.
Now wrestling at 141 pounds, redshirt junior Javier Gasca has seen unprecedented success during the first half of his Spartan career including top finishes in conference tournaments, as well as an appearance in nationals. But the accolades on the mat hardly describe the character of this season's captain.
"I've gotten to do things a lot of people would die for since I've gotten to MSU. I mean, just getting to be here at all; I'm the first one in my family who's gone to college. I get to compete on a big stage at such a prestigious school, and that's so much more than I could have ever asked for," said Gasca.
The California native began wrestling when he was just four-years-old, partaking in "free-style" or "folk-style" wrestling leagues within his city.
"So my dad always says that my first year, I didn't win a single match. I was so bummed out and didn't wrestle again for a while, I took a year off and came back the following year," explained Gasca. "I started getting a little better and continued wrestling for well, the rest of my life."
From a family with a wrestling background, it became his priority in high school to get to the next level. However, wrestling wasn't the only sport keeping him busy before he got to Michigan State.
"So, I lost a bet my junior year. I had to join the diving team," laughed Gasca.
Diving and wrestling?
"I'm really slow running wise, and there was this girl who was pretty fast in my high school. My friends said, ‘I bet you can't beat her.' I thought to myself, ‘I can definitely beat her in a race.' Well, she absolutely smoked me," said Gasca.
"I used to break dance when I was young so I could always do flips and stuff, so actually I became one of the best divers on the team. It was super fun and came back my senior year to do it. If I would have known, I was good at it I would have done it all four years."
That same open-mindness is what forced the ‘star-wrestler-turned-diver' to consider a school all the way across the country for college â€" strictly wrestling this time, however.
"Listen we knew it was colder of course than California, but we didn't know it was this cold," laughed Gasca. "That first year, I was freezing I think the entire time."
It wasn't the weather that was so much a factor when considering to make that cross-country move. It was leaving his family. When Coach Chandler came to meet Gasca, he immediately sensed that the coach sitting before him understood him in a way that only the ones closest to him did.
"One of the things that we try to encourage in our program is the family-type atmosphere. Maybe a lot of other programs say that, but we really try to get our guys to be close outside of wrestling, too. I stressed that a lot during the visit and I think he was all in because his family means a lot to him," said Chandler.
Four years later, Gasca explains that the promise of family and relationships amongst his teammates has been nothing less than what was discussed that day so many years ago.
"The coaches, the team, it's one big family, and that's the single most important things in my life â€" my family. Back home we were always so close and right away that family atmosphere was already waiting for me here," said Gasca.
"Coach Chandler has a lot to do with the culture we have on this team. He is super genuine and sincere with everything he does and cares so much. When I first met him, he told me what he wanted and what he needed from me, and I said what I needed back. He told me he would do his best and since that day he pretty much became my head coach in not just wrestling â€" but in everything I do."
The bonds amongst this team has served as a foundation to Gasca's strong career thus far, and the confidence he has for himself and teammates has been the secret weapon.
"In high school, it's just a lot easier, you can get away with a lot more strictly off technique. I was really confident in high school because you can wrestle someone who just started and pin them in 30 seconds and that boosts your confidence more than you realize," explained Gasca.
"Back then, I didn't think anyone could beat me, but then you come here and you're wrestling grown men. It's very humbling and what I've learned so far, is that if you can find a way to keep that confident state of mind in college it'll take you so far."
That confidence took Gasca all the way to nationals last season. Unfortunately, he was not completely healthy at the time of the tournament.
"Last season, I was on a hot win streak, then tore my right torn lateral collateral ligament (LCL) during the Big Ten Championship. I had torn the left one the year before, and so for the tournament I had to wear a brace and just wasn't feeling like myself," explained Gasca. "It was discouraging for sure and I think I let that get to me a little more than I should have because I know I was capable. I wrestled the number one seed and lost by two points, and then he ended up winning the tournament. My injury was minor, and I let it control how I competed."
This season, regardless of circumstance, Gasca explains that he won't let any adversity bring him down.
"A lot of it is going to go back to that confidence level. Even with a LCL, or whatever injury, I want to have enough confidence to know that I could still win even with one hand behind my back or something crazy like that â€" because my attitude will dictate everything," said Gasca.
As a captain of this team, he projects that same confidence outwardly, serving as one of the voices in his teammates' ears, reminding them constantly of their own talents.
"I don't even think the team knows how well we can compete and sometimes I have a hard time getting guys to realize how good they are. When I was talking to the true freshmen last weekend when we had eight medal winners and two finalists, I think they were shocked themselves on how well they competed," explained Gasca.
Looking forward to the start of conference play, Gasca has high hopes for this season's team.
"In past years, we've been ranked low in the Big Ten and we can only go up from there. With our coaching staff and team â€" there's no doubt we surpass expectations this season. There isn't much holding us back," said Gasca.
Off the mat, Gasca has what he calls a "master plan" for his future.
"Ultimately, I just want to change lives. I want to help people get to places that they wouldn't be able to get on their own," said Gasca. "I wouldn't be in my position today if it wasn't for every single person who walked into my life. Whether they told me one thing that stuck with me or been with me all my life, I want to be that person to someone else.
When his time at MSU comes to a close, he hopes to go to Thailand to expand on his boxing knowledge he formed as a kid, and come back to the states to fight.
"Then, I'd like to go back and help out at my high school. There's some rough areas back home, and I'd love to go and talk to kids from a different outlook, because there's so much out there, but it's tough to break the cycle when you can't see that far ahead," said Gasca.
But first, he has a strong season and hopeful NCAA Championship to look forward to.
"He's a kid that you can point to in any facet as an example for others to be like, from a student-athlete to anything. Number one: he works hard. He's accountable; he stays away from the social distractions. He gives advice but listens to what everyone has got to say," said Chandler. "…I firmly believe Javier has the potential to be an NCAA champion. He's that good, he has that much in him."
Gasca and the Spartan wrestling team will be in action on Sunday, Nov. 20 when MSU hosts the Michigan State Open. Action gets underway at 9 a.m. at Jenison Field House.
Players Mentioned
