Gilman makes impact By Craig Sesker “Thomas Gilman satin the stands and watched closely as the best freestyle wrestlers in the United States battled for berths in the 2010 World Championships. Gilman was in attendance at the Mid- ‘America Center for June's U.S. World Team Trias in Council Bluffs, Iowa. “want to be a World and Olympic champion someday,” Gilman said. “That's always been my dream.” Gilman may be on the right track to ‘make a run at his goals. A two-time state champion for Omaha Skutt Catholic High ‘School, Gilman won the Cadet Nationals freestyle ttle at 119 pounds in July in Fargo, N.D. ‘Now @ high schoo! junior, Gilman placed third at Cadet Nationals in 2008 before winning the title this year. “It was important to win it this year because last year | was right there and real close to winning,” Gilman said. “ trained real hard through the summer to prepare for this. My mentality was to not lose a period and not give up a point. | wanted to dominate everyone.” Gilman is part of the powerful Skutt program that has won 13 straight Class B Nebraska state titles under Coach Brad Hildebrandt. “its an honor to wrestle for that pro- ‘gram," Gilman said. “There is something ‘special about walking nto the Skutt wresting room that makes you want to ‘work that much harder. We train so hard. ‘You have to be mentally and physically tough to stay in our practice room. Hildebrandt, an NCAA Division II run- ner-up for Nebraska-Omaha, was in Gilman's corner in Fargo, “Brad's had a huge impact on me,” Gilman said, “He's one of the best coach- es in the county. He is so enthusiastic ‘and passionate about the sport. He mott- vates you and makes you want to go out there and conquer the World ‘When Gilman walked off the mat after winning his ttle in Fargo he had a ques- tion for his coaches. “He asked, 'How can | get better?” Winning that tte is just a steppingstone for him, Hildebrandt said, “He Is con- stantly looking to get better.” Gilman has studied tapes of Olympic champ Cael Sanderson, and three-time 20 USA Wrestier Nebrask: pounds in Fargo. Gilman is a ju ‘Olympic champion and sixtime Word ‘champion Bouvaisa Saitiev of Russia. “The sky's the limit wth Thomas,” Hildebrandt said, “He's wiling to work, and he brings a lot of intensity to the mat. He's very skilled technically, and he just keeps getting better. He has a great att- tude. He's just a super kid.” Former Skutt standout Todd Meneely also was in Gilman's comer at the FargoDome. Meneely was a three-time NCAA Division Il champion for Nebraska- (Omaha. Meneely was a Junior Nationals, champion in Fargo. “Todd has worked with me quite abit,” Gilman said, “He pushes me to train hard every day. | roll around with him a lot and Learn how to wrestle in different situa tions with him. He's very strong and physical, and that really helps me a lot.” Thomas Gilman (top) wins a Cadet Nationals froestyle title at 119 ‘at Omaha Skutt Catholic. John Sachs photo. Gilman started wrestling at age 5. His father, Pat, was a four-time state placewinner in lowa for Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Butts ‘Gilman placed second at the 2010 FILA Cadet Nationals in Akron, Ohio. “The USA Wrestling events have helped me a lot," he said. “There is great ‘competition and I's great preparation for when you start tying to make World and ‘Olympic Teams, Gilman is already considered a top Division | prospect. “L really like lowa," Gilman said. “Our program is based off Dan Gable and the lowa philosophy. | fee! lke | would ft in great at lowa. I ove the intensity that Tom and Terry Brands bring to that program. (Our room is real intense, and we try to train lke they do.”