'One More Time': Zach Elam on How ‘Tiger Style’ Has Influenced Him
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The words, and their meaning, stuck with him well before he started competing for the University of Missouri. For redshirt senior Zach Elam, they go back more than decade, and even serve as a link to his early roots in the sport that has has meant so much to his family.
"Tiger Style." Yeah, they go way beyond the mat and developmental philosophy. But they also help explain how Elam has has made such a huge impact the collegiate heavyweight class during his five years with the Tigers. His passion stems all the way back to when he was 4 years old, and his dad put him and his brother, Missouri wrestling junior Rocky Elam, into wrestling.
"[My dad] wrestled when he was in high school and college, and I was always a wild kid," he said. "He got me into wrestling and [many] other sports that I enjoyed at a young age."
He attributes his dedication to the sport to both of his parents.
"My dad was my coach growing up," he said. "My mom always made sure we had things ready on the day of tournaments. She was always traveling with us, making sure we were ready and that we had everything we needed to be prepared for tournaments out of town."
Zach and Rocky have continued to support each other since then. As kids, they had their unspoken competitions with each other to make the other better despite being in different weight classes.
"The relationship between Rocky and me has always been something I've been thankful for," he said. "Our relationship is a little bit different [now] where we're still trying to make each other better, but we're just really proud of everything we're both doing."
One of the first collegiate wrestling duals Elam attended was at Missouri when he was 8 or 9 years old. At the time, Missouri would hold round-robin tournaments with youth wrestlers, and Elam frequently participated in those.
"One of the very first [duals] I went to, Mizzou wrestled Iowa State, and Mizzou ended up losing," he said. "I was so mad, and I remember [telling] myself that I can't wait to wrestle for the Tigers one day."
Elam fulfilled his dream to wrestle for the team he admired and head coach Brian Smith beginning in 2018. "Tiger Style," is Smith's motto for coaching his wrestlers through the sport and life.
"I [have seen growth in] how we are off the mat and in the men [Coach Smith is] trying to get us to be," he said. "He's setting us up for life. I always looked up to Coach Smith as a kid, so it's pretty awesome that I get to see him every day."
Last season, Elam placed third at 285 pounds at the Big 12 Wrestling Championships, sixth at the NCAA Wrestling Championships, and set the Missouri program record for the fastest pin at 0:09 seconds.
This season, he is working on continuing to finish out matches for the Tigers. The 285-pound match is typically the last in a dual meet and can be decisive for how the team finishes. Elam is not having to adjust drastically but rather just doing what he has been doing.
"I'm not trying to go out and do certain things other than get a fall and get a win for the team," he said. "I focus on doing [my best] and being the best guy on the mat for the Tigers [at the end.]"
His 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships appearance was his first one since joining Missouri. He made it to the podium and was named an NCAA All-American, accomplishments he hopes to repeat this year.
Elam is from Kansas City, Missouri and attended Staley High School. Last season, the Tigers had the opportunity to host the Tiger Style Invite at Staley and will again this year.
"It's awesome to compete in my high school gym one more time," he said. "I was prepared for last year to be my last time competing there. I'm excited to see a bunch of familiar faces."
The Tigers will return to Kansas City in March 2024 for the NCAA Wrestling Championships for the first time since 2003. The opportunity allows for more people to support Elam, who have known him since he began his wrestling career.
"I'm really appreciative of all those people, and I look forward to going out and competing in a Mizzou singlet in front of them at the highest level of folk-style competition," he said. "When it gets to March, I'll be able to celebrate and hang out with everybody after the fact. The NCAA's in Kansas City is going to be something special."
Elam looks forward to this season, as well as what he can contribute to the team and himself before graduating. After graduation, he hopes to continue wrestling professionally and coach, like his dad.
The Tigers are looking to win their 13th straight conference championship (nine with the Mid-American and three with the Big 12). Their first dual of the season will be on Nov. 19 against Arizona State at 1 p.m. at the Hearnes Center in Columbia, Mo.
