Switching From the Gridiron to the Mats

Alex Konovalchik makes transition look like a breeze, especially compared to President Bush.

For four consecutive winters, Konovalchik has jumped off the football fields and onto the wrestling mats, has shifted from tackling opponents to taking them down and has emerged from being a stronghold on the football team to a power on the wrestling team.

"Alex had a couple of early season defeats coming off the football thing," Harvard wrestling Coach Jim Peckham says. "But he always came through for us and made our scores respectable."

Poised Tigers

Konovalchik feels responsible for setting a standard for the team--as a Tri-Captain, a hard-worker and a winner.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself as an upperclassman to win," Konovalchik says. "The team looks for me to come through with a victory."

Responsibility is a two-way street though, and Konovalchik derides himself for a loss just as much as he prides himself on a win.

WPI-ed

In an early match against Worchester Polytechnic Institute, Konovalchik took his man down and was winning when he got pinned in the second period.

"My win would have sealed the victory," Konovalchik maintains. "It was a match I should have won, and I could have won. I made a mistake and got caught and it cost us the match."

Besides demanding the most from himself in matches, he also makes every practice look like a work-a-thon.

"Alex is really one of our hardest workers," Peckham says. "He keeps his chin up and he never complains. He gives you 100 percent all of the time. He would probably run head-on into a brick wall if you asked him to."

Model Protestant

Konovalchik modelled his Protestant work ethic after last year's captain, Peter Holmes.

"Peter put himself through double-work sessions," Konovalchik says. "So this year through the entire month of February, I would stay after and work out or take a run in the morning with any team members that wanted to."

"Peter Holmes helped [inspire] us last year and it should keep up the next few years," Konovalchik says.

Konovalchik's relentless determination on the mat and in the wrestling room has pointed the younger wrestlers on the right track, enthused the veteran wrestlers and made Peckham's job a lot easier.

"Alex is one of the nice things about coaching that really makes the game worthwhile," Peckham praises.

Konovalchik more than returned the adulation for his mentor.

"Coach Peckham is a great motivator," Konovalchik says. "After almost every practice, he'd take five minutes and give a story or an inspirational talk so that you'd leave practice with a good feeling."

Not only did he lift the team spiritually, but this former Olympic coach also improved the technique of the team.

"What coach helped me in was my set-up for singles and doubles and that helped me get the take-down to get the lead," Konovalchik says.

George Michael's inspirational message--"You just gotta have faith"--found its way into Konovalchik's style under Peckham's tutelage.

Konovalchik learned to have faith in his ability to take his opponent down and cling to a lead for a win. He realized he could wrestle aggressively without giving up points, and could usually come back from behind with a take-down or an escape.

"I don't pin a lot of people," Konovalchik confesses. "I could beat a good wrestler, 3-2, and a not-so-good wrestler, 3-0, just because my style is very low scoring."

The continuous guidance of his parents has also helped Konovalchik throughout his wrestling career.

"My parents were very, very supportive," Konovalchik says. "They might have missed two, maybe three matches in all four years of wrestling. That's just been great."

But Konovalchik credits the team itself for supporting him both as a wrestler and as a friend.

"This is the best team I've been on in my four years at Harvard," Konovalchik says. "It's a tight-knit team. We push each other to work harder and that enhanced the team's performance."

And he credits Peckham for the cohesiveness of the squad.

"Coach Peckham did a great job of getting young guys on the team who have talent and who work hard, and that just created a great attitude in the room," Konovalchik says.

Konovalchik sees the time spent on the mats and with the team as some of his most valuable time at Harvard.

"This senior year I got to work with a lot of great guys and we really worked hard and had a great time," Konovalchik says. "It's been my favorite experience at Harvard."

As valuable as life on the gridiron, Alex?

Maybe.

Does it matter, considering Konovalchik's new role as Harvard's "transition team director."