I talked to Cody Sanderson today in the wrestling room today. I wasn't able to talk to Cyler, and I probably won't be able to write story [School.....], so I figured I'd give this to the people.
Cody was wearing an Iowa State wrestling shirt and had some interesting things to say. He said he's going to be around for a few weeks:
“We’ve got several guys competing this weekend and preparing for the World Team Trials, and guys that are kind of caught in the middle of all this. I’d like to do as much as I can to make sure they transition as smoothly as possible, and when the new coach gets here, they can greet him and take off and not look back too much.
“It’s good to get a few more practices in with these guys – go take down a couple of ‘em before I go, give them something to remember me by.”
Cody said that Cyler is undecided as to whether he's leaving or not.
"With him and making his decision, what I’m going to try to do is listen to him, and let him bounce ideas and thoughts off me, and let him get his mind clear so he can make the best decision possible, because it’s going to be tough on him. He’s loyal; he loves the guys on this team; he’s a Cyclone. But those family ties are pretty tough, too.
I'm not going to try to push him. He’s an adult. He’s getting married this upcoming summer[August], so he’s making adult decisions. Whatever he does, I’m behind him 100 percent."
"I'm sorry that this is something that he has to deal with. I'm sorry that this is something all these guys have to deal with, you know, [but] especially him. Because not only is he losing his coach potentially, you know, his big brothers are going to be going somewhere else. So there is added pressure for him to make that decision. In the last 24 hours alone, I’ve had at least a dozen people call me, text me, email me asking me what he’s going to do and giving opinos on what he should do, so I know a lot of people are wanting him to stay.
And if he does stay, I hope he’s treated well and not looked down upon because his older brothers decided to go somewhere else, because, you know, he’s his own person, and he’s going to do what's best."
On Cyler feeling the pressure of expectations during college:
"He feels the pressure. He tries not to feel the pressure; he knows somewhere in the back of his mind that whenever he steps on the mat, people think of Cael. That’s just how it is. And I know that it’s hard on him, and I think he’s done an incredible job dealing with it. I think his wrestling at times hasn’t been as good because of his situation, but I think he’s just done a tremendous job, and he's a great kid, and I really want his senior year to go well for him.
And I really want, when he finishes up with it, for him to be at peace with whatever happens, and hopefully he achieves a national title individually, but I’m not sure what singlet he’ll be in to do that, though."
Cody said Cael kept him involved during the decision:
"He asked me if I would support it [if he decided to go to Penn State] and I said I would 100 percent. I told him it was going to be a hard decision, and he knew that. And if he decided to leave, there would be a lot of people upset with him, and he would probably have a hard time emotionally, that he was going to be leaving behind a good group of guys, and he knew that.
And that was the hardest part about it. I think that’s the hardest part of any change is changing the relationships you have with people. I think that was the most difficult for him.
"It's hard for me. I'm a Cyclone. I was the first of four brothers to come here, and I love it here, I love the guys on the team. This is a great place, but I'm very supportive of what he’s doing. I think he’s going to be successful. I’m very happy to help him with it. I’m really going to miss what I'm doing here, and I’m excited about the opportunity and what we’re going to be doing there."
Cody was wearing an Iowa State wrestling shirt and had some interesting things to say. He said he's going to be around for a few weeks:
“We’ve got several guys competing this weekend and preparing for the World Team Trials, and guys that are kind of caught in the middle of all this. I’d like to do as much as I can to make sure they transition as smoothly as possible, and when the new coach gets here, they can greet him and take off and not look back too much.
“It’s good to get a few more practices in with these guys – go take down a couple of ‘em before I go, give them something to remember me by.”
Cody said that Cyler is undecided as to whether he's leaving or not.
"With him and making his decision, what I’m going to try to do is listen to him, and let him bounce ideas and thoughts off me, and let him get his mind clear so he can make the best decision possible, because it’s going to be tough on him. He’s loyal; he loves the guys on this team; he’s a Cyclone. But those family ties are pretty tough, too.
I'm not going to try to push him. He’s an adult. He’s getting married this upcoming summer[August], so he’s making adult decisions. Whatever he does, I’m behind him 100 percent."
"I'm sorry that this is something that he has to deal with. I'm sorry that this is something all these guys have to deal with, you know, [but] especially him. Because not only is he losing his coach potentially, you know, his big brothers are going to be going somewhere else. So there is added pressure for him to make that decision. In the last 24 hours alone, I’ve had at least a dozen people call me, text me, email me asking me what he’s going to do and giving opinos on what he should do, so I know a lot of people are wanting him to stay.
And if he does stay, I hope he’s treated well and not looked down upon because his older brothers decided to go somewhere else, because, you know, he’s his own person, and he’s going to do what's best."
On Cyler feeling the pressure of expectations during college:
"He feels the pressure. He tries not to feel the pressure; he knows somewhere in the back of his mind that whenever he steps on the mat, people think of Cael. That’s just how it is. And I know that it’s hard on him, and I think he’s done an incredible job dealing with it. I think his wrestling at times hasn’t been as good because of his situation, but I think he’s just done a tremendous job, and he's a great kid, and I really want his senior year to go well for him.
And I really want, when he finishes up with it, for him to be at peace with whatever happens, and hopefully he achieves a national title individually, but I’m not sure what singlet he’ll be in to do that, though."
Cody said Cael kept him involved during the decision:
"He asked me if I would support it [if he decided to go to Penn State] and I said I would 100 percent. I told him it was going to be a hard decision, and he knew that. And if he decided to leave, there would be a lot of people upset with him, and he would probably have a hard time emotionally, that he was going to be leaving behind a good group of guys, and he knew that.
And that was the hardest part about it. I think that’s the hardest part of any change is changing the relationships you have with people. I think that was the most difficult for him.
"It's hard for me. I'm a Cyclone. I was the first of four brothers to come here, and I love it here, I love the guys on the team. This is a great place, but I'm very supportive of what he’s doing. I think he’s going to be successful. I’m very happy to help him with it. I’m really going to miss what I'm doing here, and I’m excited about the opportunity and what we’re going to be doing there."
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