Editor’s Note: Dan Gable learned as much about dealing with tough losses as he did about winning when he was both an All-American wrestler at Iowa State and long-time coach at Iowa. Recently, he visited with WIN editor Mike Finn about some of the key stories of the 2009-10 season.

            WIN: In Iowa’s Brent Metcalf, we have both a former NCAA champion and Hodge Trophy winner who must come back for his senior year after losing in the championship of his junior season. What must he deal with on the inside?

            GABLE: I’m not the best guy to ask. The best guy would be Metcalf and the next best guy would be Tom Brands. Just in case there are things there that he is not facing to make the proper adjustments.

            WIN: But you dealt with those things as both a wrestler at Iowa State and a coach of wrestlers who dealt with such disappointment.

            GABLE: Immediately, I needed some help. Brent did much better than me on the outside right away. He was able to come back and say some pretty strong things that night. When I lost to Owings, the press didn’t have as much access to me. It would have been hard for me to face a lot of things. Some people were able to help me.

            WIN: Winning is important to Metcalf. Is he dealing with the loss in more of a delayed manner?

            GABLE: I think it was absolutely important to him. He had a lot of matches since and he’s won some and lost some. When I watch him in the room, I’m not sure I can say that this guy has been affected by that loss. I don’t notice a lot of change in him and I think that’s good.

            WIN: Do you think his opponents now feel that Metcalf has lost some of his invincibility? Could the same thing be said about teams in looking at Iowa?

            GABLE: That will be determined in regards to if he lost something beyond that match. I’m almost laughing from a standpoint thinking that would be the case. I can’t help but think Metcalf is not going to be Metcalf or an Iowa team would squeak by after being favored by a lot. I think they will all be on a mission based on the athletes and the philosophy of the program.

            If there are chinks in Iowa’s “armor,” then it will show. I don’t think you are going to see much of it this year.  Now next year, after losing eight seniors from this year’s team, will be a real good opportunity for outsiders to have a better judge of the program’s direction for a long time.

            WIN: Should we see even more upsets this year because of parity?

            GABLE: You are getting more programs jumping into that elite group. Whether they are staying for a long time is the key. Also, I don’t imagine too many of the powers — Oklahoma State and Minnesota — to be down too long. I do think there are programs out there with people who can jump in the mix.

            WIN: There are some programs, like those in the ACC, which have become strong. Is there a different mindset within those programs? How did NC State and Duke create a national champion and runner-up? How did Maryland produce a top-ten rated team with just four guys at the Nationals last year?

            GABLE: We have a system in place where coaches can get kids exposed to higher-level wrestling more than ever before. They may go train in the summer at the OTC. You go out there for three to five weeks and your mentality is going to raise up. If a coach sits down and puts a pencil and paper together and looks what’s available out there, there is a lot of help. Wrestlers have always been committed, but did not have as many opportunities.

            WIN: Speaking of making a commitment, Penn State made a commitment towards its program with the hiring of Cael Sanderson.

            GABLE: Penn State is a natural to make a big commitment. Over the years they were probably wondering, “Why don’t we do better?”

            WIN: What is the key for Sanderson reaching fans’ expectations?

            GABLE: You have to have a leader who puts a good system in place and not just expect the system to automatically be good and think it’s going to work just because you have a big name in place. Why kind of system does he implement?

            He needs to surround himself with people who have that type of attitude. It’s tough when you have other schools with that attitude battling you. But if you have that commitment and additional resources, perhaps he can get there.

            WIN: Let’s talk about the program that he left. Iowa State, on paper, looks to be as strong as any team in the country. Kevin Jackson, the new coach, does not have that much college coaching experience. Is that factor too much ado about nothing?

            GABLE: It might matter. Again, it’s like Sanderson at Penn State. If Jackson had jumped into the Penn State situation, I think he might have had a more difficult time. He will have an easier time at Iowa State, only from the standpoint that ISU has just a good team coming back.

            It could also work against him. Take a team that is ranked second in the country and has done well the past three years, but doesn’t have a successful senior season. If thing don’t turn out well, then as quickly as people were excited to have him, they will quickly get down about him.

            WIN: Who has more pressure on him? Sanderson or Jackson?

            GABLE: This year, Jackson. Sanderson has a little time. Jackson has no time because the expectations are so high. The percentages look good for Iowa State.

            WIN: In the past, you’ve talked about coaches capturing attitudes. What is the key to capturing attitudes?

            GABLE: Capturing attitude means that you’re a team that works harder than an opponent and that you don’t give up. You have to have the athletes believing in continually being on board with a leader who has a mission and vision and they can see that and therefore have respect in the system.

            They know that it hurts the coach just as much as the athlete with wins and losses. That’s hard and can only show up because of actions. That is a real key to a coaching staff and a program. You don’t second-guess things with the program. It’s unique and easier said than done.

            WIN: You spend much of your time traveling around the country trying to help programs grow. What do you tell them is the key to growing a program?

            GABLE: I don’t have to tell them a lot. It’s automatic. They will see it by my actions. There will be words but they will see an excited guy who is over 60 years old promote the sport of wrestling like no one. I want to make sure people can have their niche to maximize their contributions and that wrestling is good for everyone.  Wrestling is more about the total education system.

            WIN: High schools coaches want kids who want to work hard. College coaches recruit those type of wrestlers while high school coaches must get the most of what they already have. How do they do that?

            GABLE: The real key is if you want something, then I feel it’s your responsibility to get to that desired need and want through your actions. It’s your program and you want parents who want their kids to join their program because the coach is going to do so much for the kid.

            I can look back on my coaching career and some of the hardest times for me were when I didn’t have that leader like a Metcalf or a Brands, the person who worked hard and everyone wanted to be at that same level. Some people don’t understand that there is a higher level of work. That’s where a lot of high school kids and programs are.

            WIN: What are the mistakes that young coaches make with their wrestlers?

            GABLE: They take for granted that the outcome is going to be there. When the outcome is not there, they have to go back and re-adjust. When something hits you, it has to hit you hard to make a change.