JEFF FIELDER Editor
GERING – Nate Rocheleau, a junior at Gering High School, has been named Nspire Today!’s Male Athlete of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, LLC-American Family Insurance. Rocheleau captured a Class B state wrestling championship in the 138-pound weight class last month, helping the Bulldogs earn a third-place finish in the team standings. He placed fifth at state his freshman year and fourth his sophomore year – both at 126. His final record this season was 48-4. Rocheleau also competes in football and track and field. He’s also involved in DECA as well as his youth group at St. Agnes Catholic Church. His parents are Audrey and Tory Rocheleau. For being named an athlete of the week, Rocheleau will receive a gift card for a free drink at Scooter’s Coffee.
Q: Talk about how thrilling it was to win a state championship.
ROCHELEAU: “I had been to the state tournament a couple times before this season, so I kind of knew what to expect the first couple days. But I had never made it past the semis. So, making it to that final day was really exciting. After I won it, I was kind of in shock. I was like, ‘Wow, I did it.’”
Q: Going into the state tournament, how did you feel about your chances of making it to the finals?
ROCHELEAU: “I had confidence in myself. I worked with great partners during the season, and I practiced with [coach Jarred Berger] a lot, and he was a Division I wrestler. I thought, ‘If I can work with him and take him down a couple times, I felt confident that I could take down most of the kids in the state.’ As long as I stuck to my game plan in every match, I felt good about my chances.”
Q: What does it mean to you to be a state champion?
ROCHELEAU: “It means a lot to me. I worked hard to get to that level and be a state champion, and now that I’ve done it, I’m going to look at what I can do to keep getting better.”
Q: What do you feel are your strengths as a wrestler?
ROCHELEAU: “I feel like my biggest strength is my mentality. I love winning, but I hate losing way more than I love winning. That mentality makes me always push myself to be better. In my finals match, I knew it was going to come down to me seeing if I wanted it more than he did.”
Q: How much better do you feel like you can become as a wrestler?
ROCHELEAU: “There’s always room for improvement. I feel like I’ve improved a lot these last couple years, but I think I can get way better.”
Q: Have you already started thinking about your senior year of wrestling and what you want to accomplish?
ROCHELEAU: “Yes, I have. I’m going to be doing some summer wrestling – I’ll keep trying to improve. But once next season rolls around, I’ll be looking to win another state title. I also want to push myself to try to have an undefeated season. I had four losses this year, but I know for sure three of them I could have won. They were against good kids, but I didn’t feel like I wrestled my best. So, I think I can fix that and have a chance to have a perfect season next year.”
Q: Do you think you’ll wrestle at 138 again next season?
ROCHELEAU: “I think there’s a very good chance I’ll stay at 138.”
Q: Let’s talk about the team. How impressed are you with how the team performed this season, especially at the state tournament, placing third?
ROCHELEAU: “I was super impressed. Going through a couple seasons where we had only three qualifiers to qualifying seven people this year, that alone for us was a large stepping stone in the right direction. And then getting third at state was amazing. We’ll have a lot of guys coming back next year, so we’ll hope to do even better.”
Q: Have you started thinking about what you want to do after you graduate from Gering High School?
ROCHELEAU: “I’ve thought about it a little bit. I’m thinking about wrestling in college or maybe going into the military. If I have the opportunity to wrestle in college, I would love to do that. I love the sport. I would love to do it as long as I can. But if it’s not meant for me and I can’t do it for some reason, I think I would like to go into the military.”
Q: What got you interested in joining the military?
ROCHELEAU: “That’s a good question, and I’m not really sure how to answer that. I think it’s just the fact that I love pushing myself and taking on a challenge, and that’s probably the biggest challenge you can take on.”
Q: Which branch of the military have you thought about joining?
ROCHELEAU: “Army or Navy.”
Q: What events are you doing this track and field season?
ROCHELEAU: “I’m running sprints.”
Q: Out of all the sports you compete in, which one is your favorite?
ROCHELEAU: “Wrestling, by far. I love it that you’re out there on your own – it’s all you. You have to push yourself. No one can go out there and do it for you. It really shows who you are as a person and what you’ve got.”
Q: How much do you enjoy being involved in DECA?
ROCHELEAU: “I really like it. It’s kind of a different thing than I’m used to. I’ve never really done some of the academic groups, but it’s competitive the same way everything else is. I love that feeling of going into something and trying to do well. Even though I might not be that amazing at it, I love pushing myself and seeing how I can do.”
Q: Outside of your school activities, what do you like to do for fun?
ROCHELEAU: “I like to hang out with friends.”
Q: Which person on the wrestling team makes people laugh the most?
ROCHELEAU: “Probably Tucker Hixon. He’s a sophomore.”
Q: During your educational career, which teacher has influenced you the most?
ROCHELEAU: “Mike Smith. He has always told me that I just need to push myself to be the best I can be and to be a good person – for myself, for my school and for my community. Whether it’s with wrestling or school, he’s always pushed me to be better.”
Q: What is your favorite local restaurant?
ROCHELEAU: “Rosita’s. I love Mexican food.”
Q: What is one thing you wish people would do more often?
ROCHELEAU: “I wish people would try new things more often. So often, people end up doing the same old thing, and they don’t push themselves to try anything else.”
Q: Name one person who you think is a big difference-maker in your community.
ROCHELEAU: “Mario Chavez. I’ve seen Mario help people in all kinds of standings, whether it’s at the school or in different sports – just anything. He always steps up to the plate and takes on whatever people need him to do.”
Q: What are your three favorite apps on your cell phone?
ROCHELEAU: “Snapchat, Hulu, and Temple Run.”
Q: Favorite TV show?
ROCHELEAU: “Sons of Anarchy.”
Q: What do you think is the coolest attraction in the WyoBraska region?
ROCHELEAU: “Chimney Rock.”
Q: What is one thing that the Scottsbluff/Gering area doesn’t have that you wish it did have?
ROCHELEAU: “Chick-fil-A.”
Q: If you could give a shoutout to one local business, which one would it be and why?
ROCHELEAU: “I’d give a shoutout to the Gering Bakery because it’s postseason, and I end up stopping in there a lot.”
Q: What do you like to get at the Gering Bakery?
ROCHELEAU: “I love the bear claws.”
Q: Who are your siblings?
ROCHELEAU: “Sam and Jacob.”
If you would like to nominate someone for Nspire Today!’s Athletes of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, you may do so by sending an email to jeff.fielder@nspiretoday.comor by mailing a letter to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. Nominations may also be submitted by sending a text to 308-220-8865.
In addition to being recognized online, athletes of the week will also be recognized in Nspire Today! magazine. To sign up for a one-year subscription (12 issues) to the magazine, please send $15 to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. To pay with a credit card, please call 308-220-8865.
For all your insurance needs, visit The Kristy Culek Agency, LLC-American Family Insurance, located at 1012 Ave. I in Scottsbluff, or call 308-632-8598.
