Ausome Guillermo CA, Galactic League Champion
AUSOME GUILLERMO CA
Future Galactic League Champion
By Bill X. Barron, RMN Events
With a name like “Ausome,” this effervescent 11-year-old wrestler with a face-filling smile out of California’s Palm Desert Coachella Valley Judo & BJJ Club was born (and bred) to excel. While his face takes on a different aspect while competing, his performance is nothing short of awesomeness.
The 2022 RMN Freak Show brought over 3500 wrestlers to Las Vegas from 40 states in mid-October. Ausome relishes the “Show.” Its bigness brings out the best in him, as he won both the 11U 66 and 12U 66 lb. championships this weekend in dominating seven opponents in less than ten minutes total.
Winner of the last three Freak Shows, Ausome excels in school as well as on the mat.
His dad James says: “I raised him not to be a meathead but an intelligent wrestler, one who has learned how to chain wrestle and has been taught to understand the ‘why’ of what he does in the wrestling room as well as the classroom.”
“My father helps me break down complicated moves into steps and options,” while still encouraging his fifth child Ausome with “positive reinforcement that allows me to enjoy the sport despite its toughness.“
Ausome often practices with heavier training partners. “Dad pushes me to excel, and my teammates encourage me to do my best. But I am never bored; there’s always more to learn.”
“Kids whose coaches or parents focus on weight cutting at an early age kill their kids’ drive,” dad reflects. “In the beginning, I focused more on the losing efforts.”
James continues: “I had to rewire my coaching to reframe losses as learning moments and to emphasize the enjoyment. All the demanding work and training build to fun wrestling trips where tournaments are the reward.
“Rewards come when you embrace the journey. Wrestling is a process of learning to overcome adversity. In life, as well as on the mat, it teaches them to never give up regardless of circumstance.
“Living life fully – and leaving your best on the mat – are win-win regardless of the outcome.”
CVBJJ Coach Anthony Mantanona has developed Palm Desert into a team that consistently finishes as one of the top five in the all-one division of California high school wrestling.
Anthony Jr. is currently a 4-year Oklahoma University starter at 174 and 3X NCAA qualifier. Brother Troy is a 2-year OU starter at 165. Beau and Brock have committed to Michigan.
All four of Anthony’s sons have excelled in the tough California State Championships. From oldest to youngest: Anthony Jr. is a state champ, Troy a state placer, senior Beau a 2022 state finalist top-ranked at 138 lbs. for 2022-23, and junior Brock a returning state champion ranked #1 at 126 lbs.
At Fargo in 2022, Super 32 Finalist Brock won freestyle at 16U 132 lbs. while Super 32 Champ Beau was a 16U 145 lb. finalist. In 2021, Beau represented the USA on the Cadet World Team at 61 kg.
Coach Mantanona comments: “Always the hardest working kid in the room, Ausome is a pleasure to coach and have around. He’s very respectful and a good example to his teammates. I’m excited to see all the things he will accomplish in his wrestling career.”
Ausome looks forward to competing in RMN Events. “Other tournaments are repetitive; RMN is more of a real challenge. It’s wrestling at the highest level between quality competitors.” He also loves winning gear along with the awards, like this year’s lightweight “super cool” Xtreme Gear singlet.
“RMN has provided an avenue whereby California wrestlers can always go against the nation’s best competition without getting on a plane. I credit RMN Events for providing an opportunity for kids to compete at an elevated level almost every weekend in the West,” cites James.
RMN unveils two new Cali events this year: Cosmic Bash under black lights in Roseville and the two-day K-12 American Top Gunz co-sponsored by Poway in San Diego this New Year’s.
As a kid, Ausome grew up watching his older brothers compete. Now dad has him go to sleep watching college wrestling. “I want him to think through all the options. If you hit an ankle pick and your opponent steps back, sweep the knee. If he steps forward, hit an opposite-side swing single.”
On the mat, “Ausome relies on knowing the basics in order to win high-level matches,” according to dad James. His best moves on the feet are singles and doubles, while underneath he likes switches. On top he runs the Syracuse. “I am only allowed to do funk after I show technique,” relates Ausome.
“Wrestling is heart. You must commit to giving it your all. You cannot sit or quit,” emphasizes the young champion.
Dad adds: “I taught Ausome to find his own passion. Then be the first one in, last one out. There is no participation award. You learn to accept the outcome.”
“California’s wrestling culture is family-oriented. Wrestling has taught me how to be a better father, a more patient supporter. We want our kids to succeed – but succeed in the right way,” affirms James.
“We welcome our opponents as friends. What makes this sport enjoyable is being around other people – and organizations like RMN – who care about you.”
For young Ausome, “I love how wrestling always presents me with a new challenge or a puzzle to solve.” The sport, he believes, has “made me a better student and athlete, tougher and more confident. I have learned to stay calm under stressful conditions.”
Noting that recently acquired strength has made his technique flow more smoothly and his bottom moves more successful, Ausome credits power lifting – learning to clean, snatch, and jerk – as he prepares in advance to succeed immediately when he lands on the high school stage in four years.
Ausome advises younger wrestlers like himself to “never give up, keep on trying. It’s essential,” Ausome adds, “to be an individual. Be your own person – a leader, not a follower.”
Like most growing kids, he relaxes by playing Minecraft and League of Legends on his Xbox. In his future-thinking brain, Ausome has created a 21st-century visualization for his eventual destiny.
Beyond becoming a multiple California state champ, NCAA & World Champion, who is to fault this 11-year-old dynamo for believing that he will be the first Galactic League Champion!