Loading

ZASTROW BRINGS SUCCESS, EXCELLENCE TO THE MAT

By: Erin Madden

BEREA, Ohio - Receiving a national award is a defining moment in any coach’s career. For Jason Zastrow, that moment carried a little extra significance.

Zastrow had just finished his first season as assistant coach of the Baldwin Wallace University wrestling team - at the 2018 NCAA Division III National Championships, no less.

That year’s national tournament was hosted by BW and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission at the historic Cleveland Public Auditorium, practically in the Yellow Jackets’ backyard.

By the end of the tournament, yes, Wartburg (Iowa) College had won its third-straight title, but Zastrow was the fan favorite as he was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Assistant Coach of the Year. The moment his name was announced still sticks with Zastrow to this day.

“I looked up into the stands and there were more people in the arena with BW gear on that waited to see me awarded that honor than there were from other teams combined, including the team that had just won the championship,” Zastrow recalled. “In that moment, I knew Jenny and I were at a special place, a place where people care about one another.”

The journey to Berea and that award-winning moment began with family as Zastrow’s father - a wrestler himself - introduced his son to the sport when he was 5 years old.

“It’s all I have ever done,” Zastrow said. “It is something that we have done as a family for as long as I can remember.”

Zastrow wrestled his way from a youngster at the local club all the way up to Wartburg - a national championship contender year in and year out.

“I found a home at Wartburg the moment I visited campus,” Zastrow said. “I spent time with the coaches and around campus and I knew it was a place where I could get a great education and continue wrestling. It was a perfect fit for me.”

Wartburg was, indeed, a perfect fit for Zastrow. During his four years on the team, the Knights won four straight conference titles and never finished lower than second place at the national championships while Zastrow himself was an NCAA qualifier as a senior.

Off the mat, Zastrow always had pictured himself as a teacher and a wrestling coach. However, as graduation approached, his career aspirations narrowed as he began to consider coaching at the college level thanks to the encouragement and advice of the Wartburg staff. Soon after crossing the stage, Zastrow began his career at Central (Iowa) College and never looked back.

Zastrow had built an impressive resume for himself, including a couple years spent as a head coach, when the BW job opened up in 2017. The program’s sparkling reputation spoke for itself but the support from the Yellow Jacket community proved to be the biggest factor in his decision.

“The resources and opportunities that our guys have in the classroom, social life and as an athlete make this a great place to coach and help our guys accomplish their goals on and off the mat,” Zastrow explained.

Now entering his fourth season alongside head coach Jamie Gibbs, the list of accomplishments just keeps growing for both Zastrow and the program. In the past three seasons, BW has amassed a 46-7 dual match record for a .868 winning percentage, a 17-2 mark in the Ohio Athletic Conference, two OAC titles and two NCAA Division III Central Region championships.

Meanwhile, Zastrow is still receiving recognition for his coaching prowess as he won the Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year award in 2018 and 2020. However, Zastrow credits the student-athletes for his individual success and accolades.

“Our guys do all of the work,” Zastrow said. “If they were not having success, I would not be recognized. All of the awards are about the guys and what they do, day in and day out. They allow me to push them, challenge them, hold them to a high standard day after day. They are willing to listen and make changes, even when it is hard. They are the ones who really deserve the awards.”

The rest of the staff is just as deserving of credit and praise.

“It takes the entire staff, administration and people in the program to help each of our guys become the best they can be,” Zastrow added. “The amount of time all our coaches put in and the sacrifices they make for our guys is incredible and has a huge impact on our guys’ success.”

Success starts at the top as Zastrow cannot speak highly enough of Gibbs, the work he has done in Berea and the relationship that the two have developed.

“Coach Gibbs is the man,” Zastrow said. “He has done an amazing job with this program. More importantly, he is a great person and a great friend. I am lucky to work for someone that I call a friend, so it isn’t really work.”

Gibbs spoke just as highly of his assistant, saying, “Jason has been, and continues to be responsible for all of our success on and off the mat. He was a head coach prior to BW and continues to coach like one regardless of his title. He takes complete ownership in almost every facet of the program. His wrestling IQ, competitiveness and work ethic are elite and contagious. I am grateful for his leadership and commitment to the BW wrestling program.”

Even in his fourth year, Zastrow continues to learn from Gibbs every day and has tremendous respect for his opinions both inside and outside of wrestling.

“He can listen and communicate with people at an elite level,” Zastrow explained. “He has such a feel of what we need to do and when we need to do it. I am a planner by nature and like things to follow a plan, so I continue to try to be better when things don’t go accordingly. Coach does a great job of helping me do this.”

While Gibbs and Zastrow are working side-by-side, excellence will continue to be the standard for the Yellow Jackets.

“Student-athletes at BW want to excel at everything they are doing,” Zastrow said. “They have the opportunities and resources to be great and they take advantage of them.”