Tiger Wrestler John Kopnisky
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
January 28, 1999
Columbia, Mo. - Being thrown to the carpet and pinned by your dad after dinner is not most kids' idea of a good time. But, most kids don't have MU's most successful wrestling coach for a father either.
Bob Kopnisky left Columbia in 1986 with a school record .625 winning percentage. He probably thought he was through with Tiger wrestling. His son John, however, would pull him back, but this time as the parent of a promising wrestling talent.
John Kopnisky cites his father as the influence that helped him to move ahead in the sport of wrestling. "I got into wrestling because it was something I saw my dad doing all the time and I was good at it," John said. He added that the extra time his dad spent giving him tips outside the gym were crucial to his wrestling success. "We'd come home from practice and after dinner we'd still be talking about moves and we'd just start wrestling on the kitchen floor," he said with a laugh.
John's father is not the only reason the 165 lbs. freshman has done well. John was determined enough to learn from his mistakes and put in the independent work necessary in the gym and weight room.
"I wasn't always successful. When I was younger I got beat up on at practice a lot, but I never gave up," John said. MU wrestling coach Brian Smith also noticed this characteristic in John.
"He doesn't do what you ask; he does what you ask plus a little bit more. In wrestling especially that extra really makes the difference in an athlete," Smith commented.
Smith attributes John's impressive record to a combination of factors. According to Smith, John has a grip that takes opponents by surprise.
"He'll hold you and then shoot for the body and the other wrestler will be off guard." Smith also believes that because John is a coach's son he is more willing to go the extra amount it takes.
"I love to recruit coach's sons because they know the other side of it and they'll put out the effort," Smith said.
Bob Kopnisky's impact on his son is clear in several ways, but John claims his father did not interfere with his choice of colleges. John said that he chose MU because he was comfortable here. He also liked the athletic department's commitment to helping athletes with academics. John said his dad tried to stay impartial, but after he had picked MU his father let him know he was pleased with the decision.
John believes that he made the right choice. He has thrived in Columbia as both a student and an athlete. His 16-7 record as a freshman reflects that. Added to the fact that he is tied for most wins on the MU team, John was also named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week for the week of December 14.
Coach Smith is optimistic that John's winning ways will continue. There has been speculation that John could crack the top 25 before the end of the season. Smith believes that it is a very real possibility.
"A couple of weeks ago John was 10 seconds away from beating the number four guy in the country. That same wrestler beat John badly just two months ago so he's improved and he's still improving," Smith said.
Smith has a young team this year and the efforts of freshman like John are key to the program's future.
"He's very coachable and that makes him a good role model for the other guys. They see him do well and they want to do what he's doing so they can do well," Smith said.
John's motivation to wrestle is both personal and competitive.
"I want to win. But, I also want to make my dad feel that for all of the time he's put into me I've gone somewhere and done something with it," he said. Wrestling has given John Kopnisky quite a bit throughout his life. It has given him a connection to his father and one of his father's greatest loves. It has also allowed him to prove that he could be successful as an individual competitor. Maybe most importantly it has helped him find a career.
"What I really want to do is coach."
Written by Andrew Bach of Inside Mizzou Sports
