Borschel returns home to open wrestling academy

The thought was hatched a couple years ago, but lived only in the back of Jay Borschel's mind.

The idea is becoming a reality.

Borschel stepped down from his assistant coach position at Northwestern University after the college wrestling season in March, moving back to Marion to open a wrestling academy to work with area athletes.

'It's not a club it's an academy,” Borschel said about his endeavor called The Wrestling Lab. 'It's an all-encompassing place to learn.”

Borschel coached with the Wildcats for three seasons, helping guide an NCAA Champion, three national finalists, seven All-Americans and 17 NCAA qualifiers.

Borschel said he felt this was the right time. He and his wife, Jillian, have two children - Milo and Wilhelmina - and extended family in the area,

The focus is to work with athletes on various levels. Borschel said he will work technique, but also wants to school wrestlers on how to improve mentally and physically, extending to aspects off the mat.

'I don't want it to just be a place to work out,” said Borschel, a two-time All-American and 2010 NCAA champion for the University of Iowa. 'It's the whole package.”

Borschel has been exposed to some of the top coaches in the sport, including Iowa Coach Tom Brands, Dan Gable and Doug Streicher, who helped him to four state titles and a 163-1 record at Linn-Mar. He won't limit his lessons or training to one style.

'It spans all things,” Borschel said. 'I want to pull from my time at Iowa to things off the Internet to things being done by the Russians. There's not just one way. There are multiple ways to do it.”

Borschel said he has a building to house the academy in the Metro area. He will work with youth wrestlers through high school seniors. Borschel has an approach that varies with age.

'The sport needs to be fun and build athletic skill,” Borschel said. 'I want to make it more like tumbling and gymnastic skills with wrestling skills to keep it light (for younger wrestlers to start). When they get older, it will be heavily wrestling based.”

Borschel said he will conduct some clinics at Linn-Mar and a kids' camp at Marion this summer. One-day, multisession clinics also will be offered before the academy is up and running in the fall.

There are numerous wrestling clubs in the Linn and Johnson County areas. Borschel said he believes the local talent and the unique vision will allow this to be successful.

'There's a ton of kids' wrestling clubs,” Borschel said. 'There are good clubs and all serve their purpose. I'm going to think outside the box.”

More information on the club can be found at www.thewrestlinglab.com.

l Comments: (319) 368-8679; kj.pilcher@thegazette.com