As another NCAA wrestling season stares the country’s top collegiate programs in the face, recruiters are scurrying to add more depth to their rosters. With the scene brimming with talent, all eyes are on Bo Bassett. The 2024 U20 US Open Champion has been talking about which school he thinks will suit his interest the best, and David Taylor might have the perfect plan to help the youngster reach his true potential.

“These kids look like they really care about each other, which is awesome. And we’re gonna continue to build on that and moving forward” stated David Taylor when he was introduced as the eighth wrestling coach of Oklahoma State. As the Pennsylvania State alumni joins the OSU clan, he delivered yet another message for the youngsters.

On 23rd June, the content director of FloWrestling, Christian Pyles took to his X handle to share Magic Man’s message with his fandom. In the video, Taylor can be seen talking about what he looks for in budding wrestlers to consider them as a potential addition to the OSU Cowboys roster. “…obviously we want guys who love to wrestle,” said David, noting that it isn’t a difficult ask. However, considering how competitive the NCAA tournament can get, he had some more factors to talk about. “I think it’s the body language that’s the biggest thing, how they’re excited to go on the mat….I think that’s huge,” revealed Taylor, indicating what catches his fancy in a young wrestler.

According to David, if an athlete shows the right signs, then OSU will go out of its way to help them become some of the best names in the collegiate scene and beyond. “If you love to wrestle and are coachable, who is gonna fight hard and wrestle hard, then we’re gonna develop you. We’re gonna help you become the best wrestler you could possibly be,” the former NCAA champ was heard saying.

Taylor went on to elaborate that wrestling is a sport that allows a lot of wiggle room to wrestlers, where a wide variety of different skills can help a star to dominate their opponents. However, the basic things don’t change: “…the attitude, the love for wrestling, those are essentials.”

It’s not just Taylor who has a keen eye on the obvious, but any wrestling coach or professional worth his salt would state that wrestling is cut throat and its pre-requisites are immense. If you are looking to pursue a career in it, look no further. And also make a checklist of the traits you are missing from the below mentioned list so that it’ll come in handy. The first one is obviously being trained from a nascent age and that’s pretty much a given. Having the right guidance in grappling styles, takedown techniques etc under a watchful eye goes a long way.

It’s a highly intuitive, ever changing and technical sport, so getting the basics right is also crucial for success. Let us consider some case studies of popular wrestlers ruling the roost and decode as to what made them the apex predators in their game. Furthermore, to excel in the sport itself, you need to have enough fuel in the tank to sustain barrages and beatings day in and day out. Once again, don’t say we didn’t warn you. It is a high stakes sport and to ensure longevity, one has to be able to take a beating and bounce back with relative strength.

The first step to becoming a connoisseur of the sport is to look up videos of the greats toiling it out on the mats. From Jordan Burroughs to Cael Sanderson’s Midas touch to AJ Ferrari and whatnot, start by familiarizing yourself with the sport. Post looking up the techniques, sinews and maneuvers of the greats, start by learning some basic offensive moves. Two primarily such as the single leg and the double leg takedown is a rite of passage for young wrestlers looking to make a mark.

With all that said and done, we have a wide array of formidable young NCAA wrestlers who might be following in David Taylor and Co’s illustrious footsteps.  What drives them apart from pure champion spirit, hard work and liquid luck? What makes these OSU wrestlers a mainstay on the enviable roster? We have our very own Carlos Alvarado, a Red Shirt Freshman. He’s racked ups some impressive tallies such as –

• At the Lindenwood Open – had a 3-2 showing
• At Enid High School – an impressive 114-40 record racked up

Next, we have Zach Blankenship, another force to be reckoned with.

While there are many more underdogs within this stacked up roster, we can safely assume that under the tutelage of Taylor, their flights of fancy will soar like a plane ready for takeoff. On the other hand, Bo Bassett will be blessed to receive tips from the country’s best wrestlers if he chooses to head over the Camp Taylor for his collegiate career.

Taylor and Bassett: A match made on the mat?

Bishop McCort Catholic’s Bo Bassett has been a force to be reckoned with. With eyes for constant improvement, the Clarion Open champ has turned a lot of heads with his performance in the 65kg weight bracket. Last month, at the U20 World Championships Team Trials in Ohio, Bassett was spotted training with the likes of Kyle Dake and MMA star Bo Nickal, undoubtedly learning some crucial strategies to subdue his opponents later this year in Spain. Now, David Taylor and Bo Bassett have a lot of steam in their engines and their synergy could only mean one thing. Upward trajectory being the name of the game. They go way back as Taylor was instrumental in moulding Bassett into the boy wonder he is today.

Bassett had taken to X to highlight Taylor showing him the ropes with the penned caption as -“Flashback Friday! I was filming some new tech videos with DT when I was 8.” Bassett’s own father had his chest swelling with pride saying –“I think what my dad said, he hit the nail on the head a few years ago. He said he (Taylor) is probably going to be a better coach than he is a wrestler, which is obviously crazy because you know what he is as a wrestler.” What’s even more interesting is that Bassett has been a mainstay at Taylor’s very own training camp as well (M2 Training Center) further solidifying their symbiotic relationship.

On top of this, Taylor is also using all sources available to him to make sure OSU’s wrestlers can train in the best possible environment. Under such circumstances, one would have to wait to see which program ultimately becomes Bassett’s choice to help him take the next step in his already illustrious career. Which school do you think will be the best bet for Bo? OSU? Penn State? The Iowa Hawkeyes? Tell us your pick in the comments below.