TBO.com - Live in the moment

5 Questions With Austin Figari

Published: Dec 11, 2007

Bloomingdale senior Austin Figari, who went 8-0 over the weekend at the Kowboy Kup Duals in Kissimmee, has a chance this season to leave his mark as one of the best wrestlers in program history.

Your coach [Donny Peek] tells me, barring injury, you likely will set the program's all-time mark for wins and become the program's first four-time state qualifier. How does that make you feel knowing those are accomplishments you could walk away with when your time here is done?

It makes me feel pretty good. I've just got to work a lot. I've got a lot of work ahead of me after Christmas. … I have to start waking up at 4 a.m. to lift weights and stuff. It feels good that I could be the first four-time state qualifier. It'd be nice to win [a state title], you know, because that would be helpful in ranking me one of the best.

In knowing all those things, does that put any more pressure on you?

It does. It puts a little bit of pressure [laughing]. It's hard because every time you go against a tough kid who's pretty good, it makes you a lot more nervous because it used to be if you'd lose, [you'd think], 'Whatever, it's inexperience.' But now it's like, 'What the heck are you doing? Why'd you lose?' But you've got to push through the pressure, you know what I mean?

So what have you done between the end of last year and now to not only keep the momentum going of what you've established the past three years but to be able to go out as a senior with a bang?

I have a private trainer me and my brother [Chris] go to at least once a week, Mike Joyce. He's been helping me and Coach has been working with me privately. Over the summer I went to a lot of different camps and tournaments, just been working to try to keep up with my moves and perfect my technique a little bit better. … Most of the credit I have to give to Coach Peek. Mike, he helps me with my technique and everything, but Coach is in here three hours a day just working my butt off. And if I'm slacking, he lets me know.

Now you mentioned your brother. I'm sure you guys have hit the mat quite a few times. Tell me about some of the epic battles between the Figari brothers?

He wins [laughing]. We get kind of mad at each other. We go at it. On top, I can ride him pretty good, but from neutral, he just tears me up. He just bangs on me and throws me around. Sometimes I get a little [upset] and start throwing some blows here and there. Usually we're pretty fine, though. I just accept the fact that he's bigger.

Having a brother on the team, how much extra support does that give you?

He's always cheering me on, and I'm always cheering him on. Pretty much, we're the only two that are always watching each other's matches. Sometimes I'll ignore the other guys' matches because I'm trying to focus on mine, but I'll always stop and watch his. It's big support, but the main thing between us is the competition - trying to be better that the other one. That's what really helps, because we're always trying to better each other. Like he took third [at state] last year and I took fifth, so I'm kind of [upset] about that, but I'm the only one to make [state] my freshman year. So that competition kind of drives us to work a little harder.

Adam Adkins