Junior showing leadership

This is the first time junior Greg Schaefer has wrestled a full season, and he is making the most of his opportunity.\nAfter going 17-11 (6-1 Big Ten) last year, Schaefer is off to a fast start. He has put together a 15-2 record as the Big Ten season approaches next weekend. But the Big Ten conference is considered the toughest in the nation, with a majority of the teams ranked in the top 25. Because Schaefer has more experience under his belt, he realizes what lies ahead. \n"You set your goals as high as you can," he said. "I'd like to go undefeated. You don't ever want to get beat."\nIU coach Duane Goldman has seen Schaefer progress since he first arrived. He knows what Schaefer is capable of.\n"We have high hopes for him," Goldman said. "He has all the abilities and mental frame of mind. We just need to keep him healthy and fresh."\nLast season, Schaefer endured injuries and continued to wrestle. He wasn't able to fully train over the summer. Instead, he worked on conditioning and getting his strength up while keeping his weight down. His work over the summer is starting to pay off.\n"He worked hard this summer," teammate Jason Bader said. "He was here all summer and worked out twice a day in addition to classes."\nBoth Goldman and Bader note one quality that may give Schaefer an edge -- his dedication. Goldman said Schaefer is willing to fix things that don't work for him. He always tries to improve. Bader also sees this.\n"Overall, he's dedicated in everything he does -- schoolwork, wrestling, everything," Bader said. "It's his perseverance. That's why he is so successful."\nBader also thinks Schaefer's experience with Big Ten wrestling has made him more mature as a wrestler.\nWith many Hoosier wrestlers on the injured list, someone is needed to lead the younger wrestlers. Schaefer is a junior but is in his fourth year in the program. Bader thinks that Schaefer is that leader.\n"He's a quiet leader," he said. "He doesn't screw around before practice. He gets ready and warms up early. The younger guys see that, and they realize that they should do that. He leads through his actions."\nDespite his early success, Schaefer realizes that there is always room for development.\n"Every match is a progress," he said. "I want to make improvements each time. You have to bypass the bad matches and look ahead."\nGoldman knows that Schaefer could be an All-American. He knows that Schaefer has beaten the Big Ten's No. 1 wrestler in his weight class. He knows that Schaefer just needs to put it all together.\n"He definitely has the abilities," Goldman said. "He just needs to believe in himself"