Article: #WrestlingWednesday: Eiteljorge is kinda cool

[Y2CJ41 6,157]

By JEREMY HINES
thehines7@gmail.com

There’s cool, and then there’s Jack Eiteljorge cool.

The Carmel senior wrestler may even be too cool.

“Jack’s the guy I want to do my heart surgery because he’s as cool as a cucumber,” Greyhound coach Ed Pendoski said. “He doesn’t get rattled by anything. But, that’s one of the things we are trying to work on this year. I want him having emotion. We’ve talked to him about how sometimes you have to have emotion, whether it be positive or negative.”

Just how cool is Eiteljorge?

“He’s so cool that you could sit him down and tell him that someone just walked into his house and killed his dog, Bacon. His reply would be, ‘Oh, OK.’,” Pendoski said. “You could tell him that Taylor Swift is in the hot tub and wants to make out with him, and he’d say ‘Oh, OK’.”

Eiteljorge is currently ranked No. 2 in the state at 160 pounds. He is a three times sectional and regional champion, but he has never punched his ticket to state. Pendoski thinks opening up and getting a little emotional may be the edge that Eiteljorge needs to finally get to state - and possibly win.

“Going into this year, after the Super 32, we had just had two pretty bad losses,” Pendoski said. “We really started dialing in on our mental part. He’s done a good job reacting to that. The phrase we use a lot is that mental toughness is the ability to manage the thoughts in your head. We went back to that simple platform. We talked to him about getting excited. We said let’s get angry. Let’s be happy. Show something.”

The plan has worked. Eiteljorge is 33-2. He has pinned or tech falled all of his opponents in the state tournament except for one, and that match he won 18-8.

“I’ve been trying to show emotion,” Eiteljorge said. “Coach wants me to, and he has a lot of muscle so I listen to him. He feels that sometimes I’m like a robot on the mat. He wants me to just start having fun.

I’ve really been working on that part. It’s a big change from past years. Making myself be less methodical is the key. I have to go out there and make the matches fun.”

Eiteljorge isn’t one of the kids that found immediate success in the sport of wrestling. When he was young and just started going to CIA, Pendoski’s wrestling academy, he was the guy getting beat up on.

“Jack was in a group with some very, very good wrestlers,” Pendoski said. “He was the beginner. The partners he was with had been around for years and were winning championships. I think Jack went two or three months before he even scored a point. But, he was the guy that would stick around after practice and do pull-ups or pushups.”

Eventually he won his first club level state tournament. Pendoski says that was a turning point for him.

“That’s the day I knew this little ankle-biter would be OK one day,” Pendoski said. “It was nice to see a guy that started from the beginning, worked his tail off and then started to see the results.”

Eiteljorge lost in the first round of semistate his freshman year. As a sophomore and a junior he lost in the ticket round.

“This year my goal is to win state,” Eiteljorge said. “My goal is not just to get to state. But, I still know there will be a pressure on me to get past the ticket round. If I win that match, I’ll certainly feel a weight has been lifted.”

Eiteljorge isn’t one to talk about personal successes, he’s too cool to brag. But, he’s more than willing to gush about his teammates.

“I have really good teammates,” he said. “They are awesome. I love hanging out with them. Carmel’s team chemistry is what helps us be a top program. We are always improving. We have a casual, playful environment. We have fun. But when it’s time to get serious we focus and get the job done.”

Next season Eiteljorge will wrestle for the University of Indianapolis.

“The University of Indianapolis is going to be real happy with the product they are getting with Jack,” Pendoski said.

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[FCFIGHTER170 1,120]

Great article and Idk personally but Jack but he's fun to watch..

[Taylor83 19]

I wish nothing but the best for Jack.  He is a great kid and a tremendously hard worker.  We have had the privilege of watching him train over the last few often seasons.  He deserves what he is getting. 

[bigballerb 161]

I had the pleasure to train with jack in the cia room for numerous summers. The kid is non-stop, go go go. One of the best hand fighters in the state as well. I will be rooting for him.

[grappleapple 286]

16 minutes ago, bigballerb said:

I had the pleasure to train with jack in the cia room for numerous summers. The kid is non-stop, go go go. One of the best hand fighters in the state as well. I will be rooting for him.

I'm rooting for him because his dog's name is Bacon. That's awesome.

[gogoplata89 155]

16 hours ago, Y2CJ41 said:

I’ve been trying to show emotion,” Eiteljorge said. “Coach wants me to, and he has a lot of muscle so I listen to him. He feels that sometimes I’m like a robot on the mat. He wants me to just start having fun.

Best line of the article. 

[meiteljorge 10]

4 hours ago, grappleapple said:

I'm rooting for him because his dog's name is Bacon. That's awesome.

Thanks! And we've learned that Ed has a talent for hyperbole--who wouldn't show emotion if something happened to this sweet boy??? Even Jack isn't that cool ;-).

[Ed Pendoski 247]

Welch just asked what a hyper bowl is.  I told him it comes after the super bowl.  It's OK

[Taylor83 19]

3 hours ago, meiteljorge said:

Thanks! And we've learned that Ed has a talent for hyperbole--who wouldn't show emotion if something happened to this sweet boy??? Even Jack isn't that cool ;-).

You are correct. Nobody is that cool. Good luck. Hope to see you in a week. 

[Y2CJ41 6,157]

3 hours ago, Ed Pendoski said:

Welch just asked what a hyper bowl is.  I told him it comes after the super bowl.  It's OK

That is a fine Purdue and Castle education.

[Chris Cooper 87]

Nice article, great kid!  #TeamBalboa