Brothers share wrestling glory in winning nationals

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Saturday, April 11, 2009 | 9:34 p.m.

The wrestling careers of twin brothers Trent and Travis Paulson will return to the place it started.

The brothers both won freestyle national titles Saturday night in the United States National Championships at the Las Vegas Convention Center to earn top seeds for the World Teams Trials May 30 and 31 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The quaint, 60,000-population city is also their hometown. Talk about having a home field advantage.

The pride of Council Bluffs will surely have the support of the hometown faithful for the trials, where the winner advances to the World Championships this September in Denmark.

“My parents probably put down a little money to get the trials there,” Trent Paulson jokingly said.

Trent Paulson won his title first on Saturday, with a 0-1, 3-0, 3-0 victory against Brent Metcalf in the 145.-5-pound finals.

While Trent Paulson was dominating the second and third periods against Metcalf, his brother was busy in a waiting area warming up for his championship match — well, sort off.

Instead of focusing on his upcoming match, Travis Paulson keep straying over to the edge of the mat and shouting instructions to his brother.

Then, when it was Travis Paulson’s turn to compete, his brother was in the front row offering words of encouragement. It worked as Travis Paulson hung on for a 0-1, 1-0, 1-0 victory against Keith Gavin in the 163-pound finals.

“He is my rock,” Travis Paulson said. “He knows what I’m thinking and what I am going through.”

The brothers, 25, have climbed the ladder together – from excelling together in college at Iowa State, to having success at various international events.

And it all started in Council Bluffs.

The boys joined Keith Massey’s youth wrestling club as inexperienced 9-year-olds and immediately showed characteristics of a champion.

“It is really, really special to see these guys get to this level,” Massey said. “They were always competitive with each other. They hated to lose to each other.”

That competition is one of the keys to their success. There is always a training partner to work on moves with. Because of the weight differential – Travis Paulson competes in a division 20 pounds higher – the brothers don’t grapple with each other that much in practice.

“My legs feel like feathers when I get done wrestling with him. He is so strong,” Trent Paulson said.

The brothers would like nothing more than to win the trials together. Events like Nationals at the convention center are emotional roller roasters – they pace back and forth while the other is competing.

Trent Paulson, who won the 2007 national college championship at Iowa State, remembers how disappointed he was when his brother lost in the national semifinals the same year. Travis Paulson was a three-time All-American for the Cyclones.

“I’m more nervous for his matches,” said Trent Paulson, who is 20 minutes older. “But I’m equally excited for the both of us.”

The fans in Council Bluffs will surely feel that excitement come May.