You can’t possibly win them all. This rule reigns predominantly in sports. But what if both the players represent the same flagship banner? A recent paradigm of this would be the Brooks-Taylor clash from the wrestling Olympic Team Trials. Getting the best of the 86 kg reigning champion David Taylor, Aaron Brooks swept him out with two 4-1 and 3-1 straight wins. While this was a historic feat for him, it crushed Taylor’s streak of not losing to an American since 2017. Moreover, it meant punching Brooks’ ticket to Paris at the cost of Taylor’s heartbreak.

Therefore, with both under the Penn State/NLWC locker room, a natural question arises: how do the wrestlers maintain their internal dynamics while eyeing the same achievements? And recently, Aaron Brooks, who appeared in an interview, has spilled the vital secret.

Aaron Brooks deems communication as the lynchpin of the Penn State structure

In a 13-minute YouTube interview uploaded by BEG Sports, Aaron Brooks is in conversation with Zach from BEG Wrestling. And upon being questioned to comment about the camaraderie within the Penn State wrestlers, Brooks gives a rather detailed reply. He begins by citing, “It can be tough at times!” However, he assures, “I think at the end of the day we all know we’re teammates and we’re brothers…”

It is also normal for players contesting in the same league to be competitive. Especially for his in-form squad, Brooks asserts, “If you’re in the Penn State room, you’re competitive!” Nonetheless, he feels this characteristic exists in the larger picture too, ingrained inherently “just in the sport of wrestling.” Therefore, he goes on to mention, “You can’t be in a sport of wrestling without being competitive.“ And that is because “it’s just you out there.” 

Evidently, the Penn State/NLWC wrestlers believe in putting their best selves on the mat, irrespective of the opponent. But there is another element. “Communication I would say is a big part of it…” Brooks adds. He even accredits Coach Cael Sanderson who “does a good job with that.”He constantly reminds the team that “it’s bigger than wrestling” and passes words of motivation like “iron sharpens iron.”    

According to Brooks, this serves as a guiding light for them. He believes when such things are not said in the locker room or such reminders are not given to competitive players, things “can kind of go the wrong way.” In this sense, he feels Coach Cael Sanderson does a great job, and keeps reiterating to the team, what is it that they want. Particularly things like, “We want a room where we have guys that are going to push us to get better.” 

As per Brooks, these factors help them stick together as a unit. And honestly, it has been evident. Not only in their top-notch performances but in their equations with one another.

Penn State wrestlers setting a benchmark for others to measure up to

Only someone living under a rock would be unaware of the Penn State/Nittany Lion Wrestling Club’s indisputable dominance at the US Olympic Team Trials. Sealing four out of six men’s freestyle spots, they vanquished their opposition. Zain Rutherford in the 65kg division subdued his competitor, Nick Lee. Whereas, in the 74kg bracket, Kyle Dake defeated Jason Nolf, winning two of the three matches. Joining him on the winning podium was Kyle Sander from the 97kg category, who registered a victory over Issac Trumble.

Another rip-roaring Olympic qualifier match was between the two lions, Aaron Brooks and David Taylor. While Brooks trashed Taylor’s winning chances with a 2-0 lead in the best-of-three series, the two shared a heartfelt moment on the mat, post the defeat. Sitting down on his knees, Taylor seemed shattered after his loss, when Brooks joined him, rested the former’s head on his shoulder, and showed him the due respect. Brooks even commented on Taylor after the match saying, “He’s one of the first guys to make this program what it is!” And “I told him I love him.” 

Therefore, the rapport between them is evident. It is one of the strong points powering Penn State’s current success and, hopefully; they retain it this way.