Joel Friderichs, 114- pound and Titan Friderichs, 121-pound are twin brothers from Watertown-Mayer High School, in Watertown-Mayer, Minnesota and are the newest additions to the Gophers wrestling program having recently committed to Minnesota, following a tradition as their Uncle wrestled for Minnesota.
Titan Friderichs had an unbelievable season last year going 45-0 and winning state and has high hopes for this upcoming season. The Friderichs Twins are excited to represent their home state and see their hard work pay off.
GopherHole caught up with the Friderichs Twins to learn about the ups and downs of being in the same sport, following a family legacy of Gopher wrestlers and how they help each other to compete at the best of their abilities.
GopherHole: What are you most excited about to wrestle for the Gophers?
Joel Friderichs: I am most excited for the opportunity to get better and to see where it gets me because I know it can get me to the best I can be.
GopherHole: How would you describe yourself as a wrestler?
Joel Friderichs: I would say I am very aggressive but also very passionate.
GopherHole: Joel, you have done very well in state the past few years as a lightweight wrestler, how have you been able to balance your weight but also fuel yourself to compete at a high level?
Joel Friderichs: I would say being smart how I get down to my weight and being disciplined with it. And I make sure I am eating healthy and wrestling hard.
GopherHole: What are some techniques you use to make sure you make weight?
Joel Friderichs: Well, dieting is extremely important for making weight. It is hard wrestling and managing your weight, but I eat less, eat low sodium, and water diet which is drinking a bunch of water and then cutting it out. I like weighing in though, you really can’t beat that feeling and getting that first sip of water.
GopherHole: Titan, you dominated your wrestling season last year going 45-0 and winning State, what do you except to do this year?
Titan Friderichs: I don’t really look at records and stats as much, but I just want to get better every single year and every single practice. I hope I can be a more dominate wrestler and get more takedowns. And overall, just be a better wrestler than I was last year.
GopherHole: You also had a perfect record last year being the first wrestler to do so in program history since your coach Bill McDonald did, what does it mean to share that with him?
Titan Friderichs: Its pretty cool we are really close with him. At the time I did not know until after we got on the podium, and he pulled me aside and told me. It was cool because we work with him on his farm, and we have good relationship with him, and it was just a cool moment.
GopherHole: Is there a certain quote or saying you draw motivation from?
Titan Friderichs: Yeah, well I have a tattoo on my chest and that’s from the bible and it is Proverbs 12:24 which says, “Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor”. Every day I when I see it, it remains me I got to work hard, and I don’t want to be lazy.
GopherHole: What does it mean to be able to wrestle for your home state?
Joel Friderichs: It makes me proud, you know if I do good it represents my town, where I came from.
Titan Friderichs: It’s a big reason why we committed to the Gophers. We coach a bunch in a youth program and seeing those kids where Gopher’s clothes after we committed and its pretty cool taking pictures with them. You know, we’ve been representing Minnesota for so long and have made an influence on the younger kids. We have looked up to the Gopher guys for a while, it’s really cool to be one of them.
GopherHole: How is it been able to grow with each other through the recruitment process?
Joel Friderichs: It’s been great, he’s always there. I always have a partner; I always have someone trying to piss me off in a way and he’s always trying to one up me but that helps both of us because then we keep pushing each other.
Titan Friderichs: It’s been awesome, it’s like having a friend you can always ask questions and see if they’re feeling the same feelings.
GopherHole: Are there any struggles with being in the same sport as each other?
Joel Friderichs: I would say sometimes, you really get compared a lot. It’s been a struggle for me when people say stuff but I’m on my own journey. I mean I wouldn’t be anywhere without him but it’s an induvial sport and I’m focused on my own journey and my own path.
Titan Friderichs: Yeah, he’s my older brother by 46 minutes to he uses that against me a lot but it gives him an edge on me. He will say stuff to mess with me but at the end of the day we are helping each other out more than any other practice partner.
GopherHole: Have you always known you’ve wanted to do college wrestling together?
Titan Friderichs: Oh yeah, wrestling is more a lifestyle than a sport to us. My uncle wrestled for the Gophers. And our whole life we’ve been told its lifestyle. I mean you wake up early before school to train, you eat healthy for it, you get good grades for it. It builds up your character.
GopherHole: Was it hard to find a program that recruited you both?
Titan Friderichs: At the start we had induvial calls with schools but with visits we had the same schools, so it was perfect.
GopherHole: How do you push each other to compete at the best of your abilities?
Joel Friderichs: Truth for sure, with my dad too. If I am wrestling bad, they will tell me so I can improve.
GopherHole: Joel, what does Titan do better than you in wresting?
Joel Friderichs: I would say mindset and he is more aggressive than me.
GopherHole: And Titan, what does Joel do better than you in wrestling?
Titan Friderichs: I would say he has more control over his emotions. I get more frustrated during matches, and I will get sloppy, but Joel keeps composure really well and his technique is really good.
GopherHole: Is there anything else you want to say about your recruitment process?
Titan Friderichs: No, but without our Christianity we would’ve never been in this opportunity that we are now blessed with.