Jeff Clark

Two time national Greco Roman and freestyle wrestling champion: tunner up in the 1981 Greco-Roman world championships: *alist for the United states 1984 Olympic wrestling team sounds like tun right?

Wrom says tell Clark. Harvard's freshman wrestline sensation.

I was really depressed in high school I was cutting weight a lot too much especially trying to get to 112 pounds," says Clark, who's natural weight is around 155 lbs.

But since he got to Harvard, he says, all that has changed.

"This is the happiest I've been by fat." Clark says, referring to his seven month old stay at Harvard.

"here you don't because you why to have fun," he explains.

Although Clark failed to make it past the first found at the National, he was out of three Harvard wrestler who won the honor of competing at the NCAA championships in Oklahoma City this week.

Nonetheless, Clark, who compiled a 12-3-3 duet record meet this year was one far and away one of the most talented members of one of Harvard's most successful wrestling teams in decades.

Moreover, Clark who was seeded eighth out of sixteen in the 134lb. weight class at the Eastern wrestling tournament two weeks ago, worked his way through the tournament straight to the championship match Once there, however, he lost a tough fought bout by a two point margin.

The second place finish, however, was good enough to quality him for a slot in the prestigious national championships.

And, along with the berth in ther tourney. Clark was named runner up in the rookie of the year voting in the Eastern.

While Clark has clearly distinguished himself as one of the best freshman wrestlers in Harvard history, most of these accomplishments tall far shy of the individual honors he has compiled in the past in order words, it is not so much a wonder that he has done so well, but a wonder that he is here at all.

For example in addition to his national championships. Clark was the favorite last summer to make first team of the U.S. Olympic squad at 114 1bs. in Greco Roman wrestling Although he was upset in the Olympic trails and ended up fourth on the ladder, he had twice pinned the U.S. wrestler who went on to take a silver medal in the Olympics.

And, as Coach John Lee says, wrestlers like Clark usually don't come to Harvard.

Clark's teammates put it another way: "From the talk that we had heard about him, I was quaking when he walked on to the mat," said tri-captain Dan Medalie, who is an extremely accomplished wrestler in his own right. "I thought, 'this guy has done stuff that I only dreamed of.

So in light of his international reputation and national championships, why is Jeff Clark wrestling in the Ivy League?

Although he has proven himself as one of the world's best wrestlers--and at an unusually young age--'Clark says his primary interest is no longer on the mat.

In fact, he freely admits that in the past he was a better wrestler. "I was in better shape and a better wrestler a year ago," he says, "but that was when the only thing I was doing was wrestling."

"Before I got here, wrestling was the most important thing in my life, but I realized that I have to start thinking of my future. I know that wrestling will not bring me success," he explains, adding that he hopes one day to got to law school

While Clark's teammates express great respect for him, most also agreed that he was "burned out" when he got here.

"He was tired of the daily grind of wrestling--the pressure to produce and lose the weight. He'd been doing it for so long," says grappler John Zilkosky. "He didn't choose Harvard to wrestle for that he could have gone to Penn State."

"He was the guy we could always count on. He even moved up to 142 for one match and he would never complain. I guess it was that he was so sick of wrestling just for himself," Madalie says.

And already, says Clark a future economics concentrator his devotion to academics has already begun to pay off some dividends.

While the folk back home in Voorheesville, in upstate New York "thought I would just get by here, I'm doing well so far--surprisingly well, in fact," he says.

"I was really worried about doing well in my freshman year. It I can handle the academics now, I will be able to put more time into wrestling in the future.

Moreover, his teammates appear to respect Clark even more for his new found interest in academics.

"Harvard is based on academics You can't tell someone here not to work at it" says Scott beck. Harvard's 126-1b wrestler and a close friend of Clark's "He's really into his academics, but even so he's got an incredible amount of ability."

More importantly, Clark says he's a lot happier than he used to be. "I didn't want to get preoccupied with losing weight, and the best part is that the program here is very lay I really like it a lot here."

For this, he gives Lee most of the credit.

"Coach Lee is great guy. There is a lot of spirit on the team, and the program here is very flexible. And Coach Lee is the funniest guy I've ever met."

Lee was also instrumental in getting Clark to come to Harvard in the first place Back in high school. Clark was not that interested in going to Harvard.

looking place I had planned of going to one of big wrestling schools, but when i got in here I had to go, and I wasn't too thrilled about it When I got accepted. I thought to myself. "Too bad, now I'm actually going to have to go there," he adds.

But once he got to know Ice, he says, his thoughts began to change, and now, he adds, he's sure that coming to Harvard was the best move.

Since enrolling, his daily schedule has changed dramatically. For example, he now wrestles for only two hours a day, whereas in high school the majors of his time was spent in training, he says.

But, things were really different then, he explains. "The material in high school wasn't that hard I hardly had to do any work."

Even through he says he's more in trusted in pursing avenues other than wrestling now, he still has some pretty lots goals namely wrestling of the 1988 U.S. Olympic squad.

In fact, he says, he night take a year out before the Olympics drop his weight to 125, and give it another shot.

But once he got to know Ice, he says, his thoughts began to change, and now, he adds, he's sure that coming to Harvard was the best move.

Since enrolling, his daily schedule has changed dramatically. For example, he now wrestles for only two hours a day, whereas in high school the majors of his time was spent in training, he says.

But, things were really different then, he explains. "The material in high school wasn't that hard I hardly had to do any work."

Even through he says he's more in trusted in pursing avenues other than wrestling now, he still has some pretty lots goals namely wrestling of the 1988 U.S. Olympic squad.

In fact, he says, he night take a year out before the Olympics drop his weight to 125, and give it another shot.