WHO’S NEXT? USAW STAR OF THE FUTURE Pico making impact
Eighth-grader from California already setting lofty goals in sport of wrestling
By Jackie Branca Two years ago, Valentin Kalika took a group of young American boys to his native country of Ukraine for a pankration fighting event, a style of fighting that com- bines wrestling and boxing.
In that group was a small kid, barely 100 pounds, whose character and fight- ing style impressed Kalika enough that he approached the scrawny boy about improving his wrestling skills and being his coach back in the United States. “I told him I’d coach him on one condi- tion,” coach Kalika said. “I’d be his coach only if he wanted to one day be a World and Olympic Champion. If he wanted to just be the state wrestling champ of California then forget it.”
Ever since that event in Ukraine, Aaron Pico has been on the path to greatness, with the Olympics as his ultimate goal. Only an eighth grader, Pico has some impressive accolades. Last year Pico won the Cadet freestyle and Greco- Roman National Championships in Fargo, N.D.
In addition to his recent successes, Pico is also a national champion boxer. This past March, Pico won the Cadet Folkstyle Nationals at 132 pounds, held in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Pico’s National Folkstyle victory has set the course for him to attempt to win the Triple Crown. He has to win both the Cadet freestyle and Greco-Roman Nationals again this summer to achieve this great feat. “I think he is ready to win the Triple Crown,” Kalika said. “He is on the right track and doing what he is supposed to do.”
Despite dominating at the Cadet level, Pico says he doesn’t really feel added pressure being a top wrestler at his age level.
“I work hard every day and when I go out there I know I’ve done all I could to
30 USA Wrestler
California’s Aaron Pico is taking aim at winning a Cadet Triple Crown in 2012. John Sachs photo.
prepare. I can just go and have fun,” Pico said. “I don’t feel pressured because I know I’ve worked harder than everyone.” Pico, who lives in Whittier, Calif., has been wrestling since he was nearly five and his aspirations go far beyond winning the Triple Crown.
“My long term goals are to one day be an NCAA champion, but also to be a World and Olympic champion,” Pico said. “I work toward those things, working hard to get to that level of being a World and Olympic champion.”
And work hard he does. Pico rises early each morning at 4 a.m. to practice with Kalika, working on conditioning and
drills.
“He is unique because most kids are focused on winning high school and col- lege championships and he wants to be the World champion now,” said Kalika who has lived and coached in Southern California since 1994. “That’s why he gets up early every day for practice with me.”
Kalika knows first-hand what it takes to be a champion at the highest level, win- ning the Greco-Roman National Championship in Ukraine and a Veterans World Greco-Roman gold medal in 2009. He also has 33 years of high level coaching experience. Kalika’s international knowledge is
important for Pico’s quest for Olympic gold.
In January, Kalika took Pico overseas to train with some of the world’s best. They traveled to Israel for several days, and then spent three weeks in Ukraine, where Pico practiced and learned from past World and Olympic medalists. “Spending time in Ukraine training with the National Team was a great experi- ence, being able to see World and Olympic medalists and how they train,” Pico said. “I got to compete at a high level and it was great.”
Kalika knew if Pico wanted to one day be the best in the world, he had to com- pete against the best in preparation for the upcoming World Championships. “I wanted to take him (to Ukraine) because if he makes the Cadet World Team and goes to compete in Azerbaijan, he will have had a chance to practice overseas and learn their style,” Kalika said. “I came from the Ukraine and coached there, and I wanted to introduce him to the style and being able to wrestle with Olympic and World champions. He learned a lot.”
Although Pico is at the top of his age division, he knows there is always room for improvement, watching film with Kalika and striving to get better. Whereas some coaches might focus on an athlete’s weaknesses and work toward improving deficiencies, Kalika looks at Aaron’s best abilities and tries to make them even more dominant.
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