by By Dan Ninham, Contributing Writer
Elias Glinski, Forest County Potawatomi, represented Team Wisconsin wrestling at the North American Indigenous Games 2023 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He will be an incoming senior at Crandon High School in Wisconsin.
Oftentimes one doesn’t have to look too far in the family and extended family to find inspiration to be the best one can be. “My dad inspired me to be a wrestler. He started taking me to tournaments when I was in fourth grade just like his dad did for him.”
Glinski had many athletic accomplishments as he enters his senior year of high school. “My top athletic accomplishments include being the first freshman out of Crandon to qualify for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) State Wrestling Tournament, as well as being the first wrestler out of Crandon to qualify three years in a row.”
“I am praying to make it a four-peat this winter. I have placed seventh, fifth and fourth in my state appearances so far. Another great accomplishment was bringing home the silver medal as an individual wrestler at the NAIG’23 and bringing home the gold medal as a team for Team Wisconsin.”
Glinski realizes the formula for success on the mat. He said, “It just seems to be competitive and want to win, I have learned that natural talent isn’t going to take you all the way and there is always room to learn and improve,” said Glinski.
Many athletes realized the magnitude in their young lives of competing internationally. Glinski shared his thoughts. He said, “The highlight of being at NAIG 2023 was traveling to a new country, getting to know my teammates better, having my family there to watch me compete, and in the end coming home with that Team Gold Medal to make our community back home proud.”
By crossing the border to compete each athlete is representing more than themselves. “Representing my tribe and state at NAIG was meaningful to me because I know I was setting an example for younger athletes,” said Glinski. “I hope I inspired them to want to compete and not just compete but win too. Three other Crandon wrestlers and I made team Wisconsin and all contributed to that gold medal. I think that says a lot for the Crandon Wrestling Team coaches and other wrestlers showing the work we put in year round is paying off.”
Coach Nick Metoxen coached us well to prepare for this freestyle tournament,” said Glinski. “In Wisconsin we usually wrestle folkstyle. It was Nick’s job to help me be prepared for freestyle wrestling at NIAG.”
“I coached Elias for Team Wisconsin for NAIG in Nova Scotia,” said Nicholas Metoxen. “Elias was able to take second, and was one of our teams five silver medalists. One thing that sets Elias apart is his focus and wrestling IQ. There are some kids you have to coach heavily from the side of the mat, but Elias has an amazing ability to be present amidst the chaos.”
Rashawn Bell was an assistant coach for Team Wisconsin. He said, “Elias was a quiet kid when I first met him. Knowing he placed at the WIAA state tournament I knew he had a drive that not many have. He would talk about his competition warming up and how he was gonna wrestle a certain way depending on his opponent. His eyes never left the mat once an opponent in his weight was wrestling.”
“He also fell just short of a gold medal but make no mistake he was a force to be reckoned with on the mat and showed no fear the whole tournament. I’m proud of all the kids and the adversity they faced within a new environment and style of wrestling,” added Coach Bell.
Photo: Marissa Glinski
