Pico has continued his dominance on the mat through the spring and summer. He won FILA Junior National titles in freestyle and Greco-Roman and was the Outstanding Wrestler in the FILA Cadet National freestyle competition. He also came out victorious in the Junior National folkstyle and freestyle competitions, earning Outstanding Wrestler honors in freestyle.
Pico will wrestle at the Cadet World Championships in Serbia on August 20-25.
InterMat talked to Pico about his accomplishments, coaches, training, goals, MMA, and more.
Aaron Pico defeated Joey Ward to win a FILA Junior National title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Pico: I honestly didn't know who he was going into the match. I looked him up on the Internet and saw that he wrestled for UNC, but I didn't know he was an NCAA qualifier. I took a shot and scored pretty easily, which gave me confidence to keep attacking and wrestle my match. I felt good about the win.
You win a lot. What's the most important match of your career?
Pico: The Dean Heil loss at Super 32 was the most important match of my career so far. It stung after that loss and it really fueled me to come back at Ironman. It fueled me every day because I knew I could be the best in the country. Every day I was saying, 'I'm the No. 1 wrestler in the country ... No. 1 in the country ... No. 1 in the country.' Every day. I'm a freshman, but it's still my goal to be the very best wrestler in the country and soon the world. Losing to Heil is what helped me take a leap in progressing as a wrestler. I wanted to wrestle him again, but he lost in Ironman semifinals to (Micah) Jordan.
Aaron Pico was named OW in the Junior National freestyle competition (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Pico: My older brother used to race go-karts and part of the uniform was wrestling shoes. My dad looked into where to buy them and started to think that I could be a good wrestler. I was a little smaller at the time and he thought it made sense. Since then it's been the only sport I really love.
My family is really tight. Our favorite thing to do is just hang out with each other and have barbeques. He's always kind of treated me like his son first. He wants me to be passionate and work hard, but he doesn't get mad if I lose, or yell or manage me, or anything. I love wrestling. I love technique and drilling and lifting and obviously competing. He just helps me make sure that I have the best coaches possible so that I can achieve my goals. If I wanted to play tennis, he'd try to find me the best tennis coach in the country. He's that type of guy, you know?
Speaking of coaches, who heads up your training?
Pico: I have a high school coach that I work out with, but primarily I train with Valentin Kalika. He knows how to get the most out of me and he has all these crazy techniques. I also see a strength coach a few times a week which really helps.
Aaron Pico has MMA aspirations after his wrestling career (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Pico: MMA and boxing I'll definitely do after my wrestling career, trying to make 2016, and depending how everything goes with the #SaveOlympicWrestling movement, maybe 2020. That would be my peak, and I'm trying to make that team. MMA and fighting is my future, but first I want to win World and Olympic championships.
I'm definitely going to be wrestling and trying to win championships. Plus I'd be too young. I'm still a little boy coming out of high school. These are men! You're dealing with a different thing than wrestling. You're dealing with a different type of sport.
I definitely want to go into MMA, but wrestling in the Olympics is my goal. This is my first passion. I know it's not easy to make money from wrestling, But when the time comes I'll be prepared. I can't wait.
Aaron Pico won by technical fall over New Jersey's Joey McKenna in the Junior National freestyle finals at 138 (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Pico: I was wrestling and posted during a throw in the practice room. It sucked because I was really looking forward to those tournaments and I wasn't able to go. But I also learned a lot, because needed to rest my body, and I realized how important rest was to my career. It was a wakeup call for me and my body.
There is this one hill that I run now that is right by house. I was hurt and I wasn't looking for a workout. I was just walking, but then I saw this thing and thought it might be a good workout. When I began feeling a little better I started running that hill every day. It's so hard! I get nervous just going to that thing. I know what I have to go through before I leave the house, so in that way it's kinda like a wrestling match, so it's good. That's why my conditioning is so good.
The goal is to be on the 2016 Olympic Team. That'll be the same summer as your high school graduation, right?
Pico: I'm taking extra courses right now so that I can graduate in 2015 and I'm taking some online course right now through a national university. It's an English class.
After Cadet Worlds I'm doing all international stuff. That's my main focus ... freestyle. It's a must for me. So I'm taking the first semester off, but also trying to get more credits so that I can graduate in 2015 and have a full year to train.
Aaron Pico gets his hand raised after winning the CIF state title at 132 (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Pico: I love Bosco. I love that school. But I have a unique opportunity to travel the world and be able to compete at the world level. No offense to Bosco but it's tough to do that, to compete for a World title from only the high school room. It's incredible, and I'm lucky that I'm going to go off and see other countries and wrestling as the highest level. I have a unique opportunity and I have to take advantage of that.
Are you a little older for your grade?
Pico: I'll be 17 years old on Sept. 23. I did stay back in seventh grade because my test scores weren't where they needed to be and I don't think I was going to be mature going to high school. I'm glad I got that year to let my body grow and get my test scores up. And yes, I'd be eligible to compete senior season.
So what makes you better than other guys your age?
Pico: I love wrestling. I'm always excited about going to practice and learning new moves and trying new things. My support system gets whatever I need and they help me learn whatever I need. Valentin believes in me and I believe in him and I do everything Doc Kreis, my strength and conditioning coach, says. He's a big part of my strength. I see him five times a week.
I've become a good wrestler, but I need a lot more work for what I want to do. I don't think I have a big head. I need to improve a lot before I can compete on the big level, and just focus on progressing. You're never too good.
But again a lot of it has to do with my family. I always have my dad, brothers, mom and others and it's just fun. It's all fun for me. Of course it's serious, but it's a fun journey. My family is super close and that's what helps me relax and push through. You know it's funny because my grandpa drives me to practice most days. He's retired and lives with us and he'll get up at like 4:45 a.m. most days and take me wherever I need to go. (Pico laughs) How many grandparents take their kids out?
Aaron Pico topped Micah Jordan to win the Walsh Ironman (Photo/Rob Preston)Pico: No! I love wrestling. I love the challenge. I'm not lying when I say it's fun.
But do you have a personal life?
Pico: Yes! I go to the movies. I go out with friends. It's not often, but it's mainly wrestling-type stuff. But like I said my family is so tight and we like playing basketball and doing other stuff. My social life is definitely not lacking. I get together with my friends and go shopping at the mall, and hang out, but it's always short because I'm getting ready for tournaments. I don't go out and party or anything like that. I'm not into that scene. I also love going to Dodger games. I love any LA teams.
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