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Marcus LeVessuer: Hard Road of a Champion
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11/27/2006 5:27:00 PM
Marcus LeVesseur discusses his return to collegiate wrestling, his future in ultimate fighting, and much more
By Jeremy O’Kasick – TWM freelance writer
Sitting in the stands in Augsburg College’s gymnasium, Marcus LeVesseur follows the fast action below on the mat as two 125-pound wrestlers head into the third period.
“Take him to his back, Jaime,” he shouts. “To his back!”
It’s the day before Thanksgiving, and the top-ranked Augsburg Auggies have kicked-off their dual meet season against St. John’s University, another Division III school, located in St. Jospeh’s, Minnesota (near St. Cloud). The 125-pound showdown between Augsburg’s Jaime Rocha and St John’s Mogi Bataar proves to be one of the night’s few competitive matches. That doesn’t stop LeVesseur from cheering on Augsburg in every period no matter the score, calling out directives even from 20 rows above the mat. This story sponsored by:
JR Wrestling Products Online Store
It has been 18 months since the three-time national champion has competed in collegiate wrestling. After taking a year off school and starting a career in mixed martial arts, otherwise known as cage fighting, he is now committed to making his long-awaited return to the mat. He plans on wrestling unattached in open tournaments, starting with the Moorhead Dragon Open December 2, and then joining Augsburg pending eligibility early next year.
Besides his competitiveness, LeVesseur shows his sense of humor and his passion for wrestling and for life throughout the interview.
“I’m a real competitive person,” he says. “I mean, if both you and I untie our shoes right now and see who can tie them back up the fastest, I want to beat you.”
That draws smiles and laughs from some of the other fans nearby, as LeVesseur sits next to several Augsburg wrestlers who have yet to officially join to the team, including his longtime friend and teammate, the 133-pound 2006 national runner-up, Jafari Vanier.
The night proved to be an impressive dual start for Augsburg. Rocha ended up pinning Bataar in the match’s final seconds, and, from there, the Auggies went on to dominate the Johnnies in a 43-0 victory.
For a wrestler who has yet to lose a match in college and went undefeated in high school, however, perhaps it just looked like business as usual. But as you can you see from this interview with LeVesseur, there is no such thing as business as usual for one of the nation’s best collegiate wrestlers – and a person so many college fans think they know but in reality, don’t know at all.
Here is what LeVesseur had to say on this night:
TWM: What is it like being here watching the Auggies at home? How bad do you want to be out there on the mat with them?
LeVesseur: This is our first dual of the season, and our first guy just got a pin. I’m so pumped right now, so excited. I can’t wait.
TWM: By the second semester, you hope to be academically eligible to be back on the team. This year, 157 is particularly deep for the Auggies starting with the 2nd-ranked wrestler in the country (Jeremy Anderson). At what weight do you plan on wrestling?
LeVesseur: Right now, I will do whatever is best for the team whether it’s to drop to 149, 157, or go at 165. This is my last year here. I’m wrestling for the team. Period. I don’t want to be selfish. I think that my target weight is 165 right now. But we’ll see.
TWM: This season you have the chance to become the second wrestler in collegiate history to go undefeated after Cael Sanderson. One mistake, one loss would take that away. Do you feel pressure to achieve that goal or does it not cross your mind?
LeVesseur: I would be lying if I said it doesn’t cross my mind. But really it always comes down to who is my next opponent. I am very proud of going 124-0. When I’m in the zone out on the mat, it’s hard to take me out of it. My coach, (Jeff Swenson), said it best in that I perform best under pressure. I will always give it my all. If a guy is going to beat me, I’m going to give my life for it. If a guy gives it his all, and it matches mine and surpasses it, then I will shake his hand and say ‘congratulations.’ Then, it’s time to watch the tape, go back to the practice room, and see how I can get better. But I don’t want to lose a single match. Who does?
TWM: Besides ultimate fighting, what have you been up to the past year or so?
LeVesseur: Right now, I’m going to school part time. I have support from my parents. I find jobs here and there. I am a wrestling coach at Henry Sibley High School, and I give private lessons.
TWM: How did you get started in mixed martial arts?
LeVesseur: I have always watched it and been a fan. I have looked at wrestling and thought about how far I could take it. There are endorsements and USA Wrestling. But I look at the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and it’s a growing sport. The payoffs are only going to increase. If you look at boxing, it’s huge. In five or ten years, UFC will take over boxing and I want to be right there along with it.
TWM: What do you have to say to wrestling fans or even the public in general who are skeptical of ultimate fighting and mixed martial arts?
LeVesseur: I just say open your mind. Open your eyes. And adapt. It’s exciting, and it’s going to be bigger than anyone could expect. It’s a respectable sport, too. It’s not like a street fight at all. I should know. I’m from the Cities, and I have had to fight to save my life tons of times. I’m not proud of it. But I have learned my lessons.
TWM: Tell me more about growing up in a single-parent home in South Minneapolis. What has that brought to your wrestling and your life?
Marcus LeVesseur plans on wrestling unattached in open tournaments, starting with the Moorhead Dragon Open December 2, and then joining Augsburg pending eligibility early next year. It has been 18 months since the three-time national champion has competed in collegiate wrestling.
LeVesseur: When I was growing up, it was always a struggle. There is a lot that people don’t know about what goes on and what you’re up against in those situations. In my case, I was always searching for that father figure. My dad was never really a part of my life. In a way, wrestling fulfilled that void. I had a passion for wrestling since I was 5 years old, and it kept me away from the street life for the most part. I always had so much support from my mother. I owe her more than anything else in this world.
TWM: You were born in the inner-city; you wrestled in the inner-city; Augsburg is right here in the inner-city. How important is it for you to work with kids in wrestling in the city?
LeVesseur: It’s so important to me. When I was that little kid, me and Jafari (Vanier), we always looked up to all the good wrestlers. We asked them questions and they would show us techniques. It was a big thrill for us. Now that we can give back to where we came from. That’s huge. I can’t even find a word to describe it. I’m just trying to build the city up, and this is a first step right now.
TWM: So take me back to March of 2005 after you won your third national championship and the Auggies won the team national championship. What happened after that? How did you get off track?
LeVesseur: I lost total focus. That’s how I can sum it up. I had been searching for a team title my entire life whether it was the city title, state title, or a national title. That didn’t happen until Augsburg in 2005. That spring was a lot of fun, and let’s just say that I indulged in it way too much. I learned a lot from it. That carried over to last fall. Then, I decided to get out of school. I needed to get out before I got kicked out of school. I needed to reevaluate my life and my direction and come back when I was ready. Right now, my mind is right; I am focused. I’m just patiently waiting.
TWM: So after this season, will you be done wrestling? Are you ruling out wrestling in international competitions?
LeVesseur: No way. I’m keeping my options open. And I will still train in wrestling. I enjoy freestyle more than anything. Especially with the new rules and the clinch, I love those rules. I have a wrestling goal of being an Olympic champ. 2008 is right around the corner. There are a lot of guys who are good, but are old. But maybe some of us young pups can make some noise at the trials. I’m even interested in Real Pro Wrestling. There’s a lot of action in that, and it combines all styles. It’s pure excitement.
TWM: Augsburg coach, Jeff Swenson, has said that he doesn’t want his wrestlers training in both wrestling and mixed martial arts at the same time. Do you have any comment about that?
LeVesseur: In college, when there is so much riding on it, especially for the team and school, I would go against doing both at the same time. But when you’re a man making your own decisions and you have graduated, you have to do what is best for you. Like I said, after one more fight December 7, I will be totally committed to Augsburg Wrestling and doing what takes to win another national championship for myself and the team.
***Marcus LeVesseur will fight at the Myth Nightclub in Maplewood, Minnesota December 7. For tickets or more information contact 651-779-MYTH or koefx@yahoo.com.***
***For more information about Augsburg Wrestling, log onto www.augsburg.edu/athletics/wrestling ***
Marcus LeVessuer: Hard Road of a Champion
Printer Friendly Version
Email this article
11/27/2006 5:27:00 PM
Marcus LeVesseur discusses his return to collegiate wrestling, his future in ultimate fighting, and much more
By Jeremy O’Kasick – TWM freelance writer
Sitting in the stands in Augsburg College’s gymnasium, Marcus LeVesseur follows the fast action below on the mat as two 125-pound wrestlers head into the third period.
“Take him to his back, Jaime,” he shouts. “To his back!”
It’s the day before Thanksgiving, and the top-ranked Augsburg Auggies have kicked-off their dual meet season against St. John’s University, another Division III school, located in St. Jospeh’s, Minnesota (near St. Cloud). The 125-pound showdown between Augsburg’s Jaime Rocha and St John’s Mogi Bataar proves to be one of the night’s few competitive matches. That doesn’t stop LeVesseur from cheering on Augsburg in every period no matter the score, calling out directives even from 20 rows above the mat. This story sponsored by:
JR Wrestling Products Online Store
It has been 18 months since the three-time national champion has competed in collegiate wrestling. After taking a year off school and starting a career in mixed martial arts, otherwise known as cage fighting, he is now committed to making his long-awaited return to the mat. He plans on wrestling unattached in open tournaments, starting with the Moorhead Dragon Open December 2, and then joining Augsburg pending eligibility early next year.
Besides his competitiveness, LeVesseur shows his sense of humor and his passion for wrestling and for life throughout the interview.
“I’m a real competitive person,” he says. “I mean, if both you and I untie our shoes right now and see who can tie them back up the fastest, I want to beat you.”
That draws smiles and laughs from some of the other fans nearby, as LeVesseur sits next to several Augsburg wrestlers who have yet to officially join to the team, including his longtime friend and teammate, the 133-pound 2006 national runner-up, Jafari Vanier.
The night proved to be an impressive dual start for Augsburg. Rocha ended up pinning Bataar in the match’s final seconds, and, from there, the Auggies went on to dominate the Johnnies in a 43-0 victory.
For a wrestler who has yet to lose a match in college and went undefeated in high school, however, perhaps it just looked like business as usual. But as you can you see from this interview with LeVesseur, there is no such thing as business as usual for one of the nation’s best collegiate wrestlers – and a person so many college fans think they know but in reality, don’t know at all.
Here is what LeVesseur had to say on this night:
TWM: What is it like being here watching the Auggies at home? How bad do you want to be out there on the mat with them?
LeVesseur: This is our first dual of the season, and our first guy just got a pin. I’m so pumped right now, so excited. I can’t wait.
TWM: By the second semester, you hope to be academically eligible to be back on the team. This year, 157 is particularly deep for the Auggies starting with the 2nd-ranked wrestler in the country (Jeremy Anderson). At what weight do you plan on wrestling?
LeVesseur: Right now, I will do whatever is best for the team whether it’s to drop to 149, 157, or go at 165. This is my last year here. I’m wrestling for the team. Period. I don’t want to be selfish. I think that my target weight is 165 right now. But we’ll see.
TWM: This season you have the chance to become the second wrestler in collegiate history to go undefeated after Cael Sanderson. One mistake, one loss would take that away. Do you feel pressure to achieve that goal or does it not cross your mind?
LeVesseur: I would be lying if I said it doesn’t cross my mind. But really it always comes down to who is my next opponent. I am very proud of going 124-0. When I’m in the zone out on the mat, it’s hard to take me out of it. My coach, (Jeff Swenson), said it best in that I perform best under pressure. I will always give it my all. If a guy is going to beat me, I’m going to give my life for it. If a guy gives it his all, and it matches mine and surpasses it, then I will shake his hand and say ‘congratulations.’ Then, it’s time to watch the tape, go back to the practice room, and see how I can get better. But I don’t want to lose a single match. Who does?
TWM: Besides ultimate fighting, what have you been up to the past year or so?
LeVesseur: Right now, I’m going to school part time. I have support from my parents. I find jobs here and there. I am a wrestling coach at Henry Sibley High School, and I give private lessons.
TWM: How did you get started in mixed martial arts?
LeVesseur: I have always watched it and been a fan. I have looked at wrestling and thought about how far I could take it. There are endorsements and USA Wrestling. But I look at the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and it’s a growing sport. The payoffs are only going to increase. If you look at boxing, it’s huge. In five or ten years, UFC will take over boxing and I want to be right there along with it.
TWM: What do you have to say to wrestling fans or even the public in general who are skeptical of ultimate fighting and mixed martial arts?
LeVesseur: I just say open your mind. Open your eyes. And adapt. It’s exciting, and it’s going to be bigger than anyone could expect. It’s a respectable sport, too. It’s not like a street fight at all. I should know. I’m from the Cities, and I have had to fight to save my life tons of times. I’m not proud of it. But I have learned my lessons.
TWM: Tell me more about growing up in a single-parent home in South Minneapolis. What has that brought to your wrestling and your life?
Marcus LeVesseur plans on wrestling unattached in open tournaments, starting with the Moorhead Dragon Open December 2, and then joining Augsburg pending eligibility early next year. It has been 18 months since the three-time national champion has competed in collegiate wrestling.
LeVesseur: When I was growing up, it was always a struggle. There is a lot that people don’t know about what goes on and what you’re up against in those situations. In my case, I was always searching for that father figure. My dad was never really a part of my life. In a way, wrestling fulfilled that void. I had a passion for wrestling since I was 5 years old, and it kept me away from the street life for the most part. I always had so much support from my mother. I owe her more than anything else in this world.
TWM: You were born in the inner-city; you wrestled in the inner-city; Augsburg is right here in the inner-city. How important is it for you to work with kids in wrestling in the city?
LeVesseur: It’s so important to me. When I was that little kid, me and Jafari (Vanier), we always looked up to all the good wrestlers. We asked them questions and they would show us techniques. It was a big thrill for us. Now that we can give back to where we came from. That’s huge. I can’t even find a word to describe it. I’m just trying to build the city up, and this is a first step right now.
TWM: So take me back to March of 2005 after you won your third national championship and the Auggies won the team national championship. What happened after that? How did you get off track?
LeVesseur: I lost total focus. That’s how I can sum it up. I had been searching for a team title my entire life whether it was the city title, state title, or a national title. That didn’t happen until Augsburg in 2005. That spring was a lot of fun, and let’s just say that I indulged in it way too much. I learned a lot from it. That carried over to last fall. Then, I decided to get out of school. I needed to get out before I got kicked out of school. I needed to reevaluate my life and my direction and come back when I was ready. Right now, my mind is right; I am focused. I’m just patiently waiting.
TWM: So after this season, will you be done wrestling? Are you ruling out wrestling in international competitions?
LeVesseur: No way. I’m keeping my options open. And I will still train in wrestling. I enjoy freestyle more than anything. Especially with the new rules and the clinch, I love those rules. I have a wrestling goal of being an Olympic champ. 2008 is right around the corner. There are a lot of guys who are good, but are old. But maybe some of us young pups can make some noise at the trials. I’m even interested in Real Pro Wrestling. There’s a lot of action in that, and it combines all styles. It’s pure excitement.
TWM: Augsburg coach, Jeff Swenson, has said that he doesn’t want his wrestlers training in both wrestling and mixed martial arts at the same time. Do you have any comment about that?
LeVesseur: In college, when there is so much riding on it, especially for the team and school, I would go against doing both at the same time. But when you’re a man making your own decisions and you have graduated, you have to do what is best for you. Like I said, after one more fight December 7, I will be totally committed to Augsburg Wrestling and doing what takes to win another national championship for myself and the team.
***Marcus LeVesseur will fight at the Myth Nightclub in Maplewood, Minnesota December 7. For tickets or more information contact 651-779-MYTH or koefx@yahoo.com.***
***For more information about Augsburg Wrestling, log onto www.augsburg.edu/athletics/wrestling ***