I am happy to announce my return to Champaign and the Illinois Regional Training Center to pursue my World and Olympic aspirations. At the highest level every wrestler looks for whatever competitive edge they can use, and after trying out a different training location, I quickly realized that home is where I need to be. After a falling out with the head coach in Iowa I was unsure of where to go next, so I called one of my best friends and someone who I consider family, Zane Richards. We hung out for the weekend, and that weekend turned to four weeks on his couch while training, eating good food, and just laughing and having fun like we did so many times in college. I did a lot of traveling this past spring and summer trying to find myself and my purpose. It seemed like anything that could go wrong was going wrong so being the mature and wise 24 year old that I was, I decided I’d move to another city and that would fix everything. I obviously learned quickly that life doesn’t work that way. I would feel bad if I didn’t take this time to thank everyone in Iowa city that helped me. I am grateful for the experience and I got to see first-hand that they are really good guys. I think because the fans can get rowdy, people tend to paint Iowa wrestlers as the bad guys, but I didn’t meet anyone who was rude or mean to me on the college or club team and they were all very stand up and polite. Ryan Morningstar went out of his way to help me multiple times and is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. Mark and Megan Perry have done more for me than I could ever pay back and I love both of them like my own family no matter what I’m doing or where I live. Champaign is my town though, nowhere else do I feel as at home as I do in Champaign. From the relationships I’ve made around campus, the wrestling community, and in town to my favorite restaurants and grocery stores. I love it here. So when I left Iowa, I decided not to talk to any other programs and try to make it work in Champaign first because they took care of me when I needed some help, even after I left. I strongly feel I can be successful in Champaign because of the extreme level of comfort I have here both in and outside of the wrestling room, as well as the amazing support I receive. The community, the fans, and the alumni truly make Champaign a special place to me. The hiring of Coach Medlin also made a huge impact on my decision. This is the first time we’ve had such a dedicated, knowledgeable freestyle coach that I can trust and learn a lot from. Another reason I need to be back home is because of Jeremy Hunter. I’m not sure if anyone knows or understands the amount him and I have trained together. We’re so familiar with each other we can go an entire practice correcting mistakes and getting better without much even being said. Also, the addition of Coach Poeta is appealing as he places a positive influence on the program as we continue to build and grow. Last but not least, I would like to take this time to personally thank Coach Heffernan, as he has been my coach since I was 18 years old and has helped mold me into the man and athlete I am today. I know Champaign and the Illinois RTC is the place for me to achieve the most I can in the final chapter of my wrestling career. Jesse Delgado IRTC Athlete