Intro:

Paul Singh: 0:00 – 0:15

Hello Gators. This is Paul Singh with Golden Gate Xpress. I am here with Brayden Concepcion of the wrestling team, who is also the co-president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. We are going to be talking about wrestling and how SAAC has impacted him. 

Interview:

Singh:  0:19 – 0:21

How did you first get into wrestling?

Brayden Concepcion: 0:22 – 0:38

So my dad wrestled in high school. So with wrestling it’s kind of like a generation thing, I would say. Most wrestlers I know, their parents probably wrestled or that’s how they get into it. So my dad wrestled in high school and I started wrestling in second grade and just stuck with it all throughout now.

Singh: 0:39 – 0:41 

And how long have you been on the team for?

Concepcion: 0:42 – 0:50 

All four years. So I’m a senior this year. [I] got recruited my junior year of high school, and then committed here my senior year and then was here my all four years.

Singh: 0:51 – 0:52

So you’re the president of SAAC?

Concepcion: 0:53 – 1:00 

Yeah, co-president with Kelsey Burrus. We’re both president[s]. She’s planning to graduate this fall, so I’m taking over in the spring.

Singh: 1:01 – 1:04

I heard that you traveled somewhere for SAAC. Where exactly did you go to?

Concepcion: 1:05 – 1:23 

Yeah, so I was at the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum in Dallas, Texas. Basically just learning more about how I can better my leadership in ways of my core values and how I lead and just taking information from that just to apply it here.

Singh: 1:24 – 1:25 

And how has SAAC made an impact on your life?

Concepcion: 1:26 – 1:41

I would say SAAC made an impact through my life through community. Seeing the growth of individuals, the growth of teams and just people around you really builds a stronger community and it just makes you feel welcomed and proud to be a gator.

Singh: 1:42 – 1:43 

All right. How about the wrestling team?

Concepcion: 1:44 – 2:03 

I would say the same thing. The wrestlers are probably my closest friends at the school. Our team bonding bondmanship is super close, so we all get along really well and I feel like we all have each other’s backs. So it’s really cool to see the growth from that, from where we started and how close we’ve gotten.

Singh: 2:04 – 2:14

That’s brilliant. Yeah, same thing here. When I was in MMA club at all and you know, we met, started sparring and then we grew from there. Yeah, it’s a friendship.

Concepcion: 2:15 – 2:44 

Yeah, it’s super cool seeing how it’s so easy for wrestlers to get along. And it doesn’t matter like our weight classes at that point, we all just become a second family. So we celebrate like our – we have our teamsgiving, our Secret Santas, holiday themed stuff. And it’s just, I feel like that bond just becomes super close because we know exactly what to get people. And we just always become closer each year, so it’s cool to see the growth.

Singh: 2:45 – 2:51

Do you guys also have bonfires at Ocean Beach and also potlucks?

Concepcion: 2:52 – 3:07

So we’ll have bonfires through SAAC. Try [to] involve all athletes in our bonfires and then potlucks, not so much. I would say our teamsgiving was more of a potluck, but that’s our only style potluck we do each year.

Singh: 3:08 – 3:13

Yeah. So I know you guys have ESPYs coming up. Yeah, tell me a little more about that.

Concepcion: 3:14 – 3:37

So ESPYS is our award show, and we basically celebrate everything that has nothing to do with athletics. So it’s a great way for an athlete to be recognized for stuff they do outside of their sport or random fun topics like “best dressed” or “most likely to’s,” and just celebrate the little things because we like to cover our mental health a lot as well. 

3:37 – 3:53

So I think it’s like a great celebration of all coming together just to be okay with our mental health and where we’re at. So I really like the event because it’s our way of appreciating each athlete for being here and not just for their sport.

Singh: 3:54 – 3:56

Where is the 2020 ESPYs gonna be?

Concepcion: 3:57 – 4:22 

So with the budget cuts from last year and the new community – like, last year we had that alternative consultation where we had to promote that survey to keep athletics. So our numbers have dropped a little bit from last year because we had to unfortunately cut three programs. So we’ll probably have about 150 athletes, I want to say. But last year we had around 200 something. 

4:22 – 4:42

So with 150, we were going to do it in [the] Annex [building], but it’s just like, we’re not going to take up any space in the building. So I think we’re just planning to have it in the small gym. In the gym. And just fully transform the gym into an award show vibe and put backdrops up and everything to cover everything. But I think we can fit in the small gym, so we’re just gonna have it there.

Singh: 4:43 – 4:45

So it’s gonna be much smaller than last year.

Concepcion: 4:46 – 4:55

Smaller. But I guess we can do smaller big awards or just the space is smaller, but we’ll try to make it look bigger with the decorations and everything.

Singh: 4:56 – 4:58

Has the wrestling team been impacted by the budget cuts or no?

Concepcion: 4:59 – 5:29

I would say all of our athletics has been affected, but it doesn’t affect your performance, like at the end of the day, it’s not all about that. So it’s about just having the opportunity to step up on the mat and just be thankful that you’re out here. So I think that even with the budget cuts, we grew closer through it. Like the hardship was a struggle, but at the end of the day, we all became closer through that and we were able to work through it. So there’s always a way out of it.

Singh: 5:30 – 5:31

How long has SAAC been around for?

Concepcion: 5:32 – 6:02

Ever since I’ve been here, it’s been around and I’m sure it was around prior. I think there was years where it was like discontinued for a little bit. And then we brought it back. So I want to say five, six years ago we brought it back. The previous president really did good foundational work to building SAAC up again. And then Kelsey took over last year. She was co-president with Kimberly [DeBoer] and we were just continuing to build it. 

6:02 – 6:28

Now it’s just been like, since we had people transfer or leave, but we like returners, we’re trying to keep that community that we had before and just keep it growing because seeing the community growth has been crazy to watch from behind the scenes. So, yeah, I started my sophomore year. My freshman year, I didn’t really know about SAAC. The first meeting I ever went to was the elections for our exec board. 

6:28 – 6:39

So that was the first ever meeting I’ve ever went to. And then I was elected for social media chair [in my] sophomore year, [and then] junior year, [I] moved on to vice president and then now [I’m] president.

Singh: 6:40 – 6:41

That’s pretty good. Yeah.

Concepcion: 6:42 – 6:43

Yeah.

Singh: 6:44 – 6:46

How is your season going right now in wrestling?

Concepcion: 6:47 – 7:15

Season’s going good. It’s a long season, long year. But we have a lot of returners, which is really nice because we have 12 seniors or about 12 seniors. So we have a lot of older guys on the team, which is really good mentality-wise and just like leadership roles. And it’s just like our team bonding and having the good leaders is a good way to motivate others. So yeah, I would say we’re looking pretty good. 

7:15 – 7:31

Long road ahead. We’re just waiting on some wrestlers to get cleared, some facing small injuries, but the real journey is like throughout March. So this is just the start and we always want to work towards March.

Singh: 7:32 – 7:33

And did you have any favorite wrestlers growing up?

Concepcion: 7:34 – 7:58

I would say when I was younger, it was Jordan Burroughs, Olympic wrestler. I just liked the way he shot double legs. That was probably my favorite wrestler growing up. When I got older, I started liking college wrestlers. So I think I liked watching Spencer Lee wrestle. And a lot of the college wrestlers at the higher level have always been inspiring to watch, so probably my favorites.

Singh: 7:59 – 8:00

You don’t watch WWE?

Concepcion: 8:01 – 8:03

No, no. Just the real wrestling one.

Singh: 8:04 – 8:05

Oh. Yeah, that’s too fake.

Concepcion: 8:06 – 8:14

Yeah, yeah. As a wrestler, it’s just like WWE just doesn’t look right. So we prefer the normal wrestling.

Singh: 8:15 – 8:23

Not gonna lie. Being in martial arts and being in the MMA club. I rewatched them. We watched some WWE. I’m like, no, this doesn’t look right. This is like.

Concepcion: 8:24 – 8:36

Yeah, it’s a lot of, well, they’re really strong guys, but it just seems like it’s just a show at the end of the day. It’s not really a fight or a battle.

Singh: 8:37 – 8:42

So, yeah, no one’s gonna get hit with a metal chair and get back up right away.

Concepcion: 8:43 – 8:55

Yeah, I prefer watching UFC. UFC is nice to watch because it’s the mixed martial arts. So you’ll see wrestling, you’ll see boxing, you’ll see judo, all those types of arts. And it’s just crazy to see how they all come together to fight people.

Singh: 8:56 – 9:01

And which members of the wrestling team have you become really close to?

Concepcion: 9:02 – 9:22

I would say, like, my class, we have Gavin [Funk], Kydyn [Lima], Josiah [Hurd]. They’re like my actual class. And then you have the super seniors that are still my class. They’re graduating this year. So we have Kyle [Botelho], Emilio [Franco Sandoval], Zach [Wright], Laith [Gilmore], all those guys. Basil [Othman], Zane [Stoddard]. So, our group of 12 guys that we have, I’ve got them really close to and our bond has just grown throughout the years. 

9:22 – 9:37

So, yeah, it’s going to be cool seeing how next year our team continues to grow because we’re going to have a full new class, because we’re having 12 guys out, or graduate this year. So it’s gonna be cool to see the growth later on.

Singh: 9:38 – 9:43

Nice. Nice. How do you get ready for a match? How do you prepare for it?

Concepcion: 9:44 – 10:07

So with wrestling, it’s a lot of mental stuff. My biggest wrestling match is the mental one. So I would say, making sure my head’s in the right space before I step on the mat is always step one. Whether that’s the music I’m listening to or just taking a breather, closing my eyes and just focusing on other things besides the match. And then when I’m in the match, I can be actually present. 

10:07 – 10:25

So I would say it’s the mental battle of just constantly focused on, or not letting my head overthink. So when I overthink, it’s like I can’t wrestle. So I want to be calm. I want to be just ready to go and just not stressed or anything.

Singh: 10:26 – 10:27

How do you avoid overthinking in the match?

Concepcion: 10:28 – 10:51

I would say breathing work helps a lot. I like to just take a deep breath, walk back and forth a little bit, and maybe the warmup song I’m listening to is just a calm song. It’s not really upbeat or really fast. I like to stay calm, and that just leads to not overthinking. Once I overthink, it just becomes I’m fighting another battle that is unnecessary to wrestle with. 

Singh: 10:52 – 10:54

And then it becomes like two battles and one ring.

Concepcion: 10:55 – 11:18 

Yeah, you hear a lot like, or you’ll look back at your matches and you don’t know what’s going on. But it’s simple mistakes or other stuff like that. And once you look back on it. So I actually don’t like watching film or anything  of our opponent. I don’t like watching film beforehand. It will get in my head too much on what they do. 

11:18 – 11:38

So I like to say my way of staying calm is just step up on the mat and not care who’s up out in front of me. It could be someone really good or someone really bad. But treating everyone like it’s the same match you’re stepping on, just ready to go, really. So I don’t like watching film beforehand. I’ll watch it after to see my mistakes. 

11:38 – 11:46

But watching, like, my opponent’s stuff first just gets in my head too much and I overthink. So I just, I like to step on the mat, ready to go.

Singh: 11:47 – 11:51

Have you ever had anxiety before going on the mat?

Concepcion: 11:52 – 12:18

Not really. You’ll just have those butterfly feelings when you step on, the nerves. But that’s just another thing that adds on. So it’s. I rather just step up out there, make it fun. Like, if I make it fun, it’s enjoyable. So the opportunity to step out is already super fun. So I like to look at it that way. I step on, ready to have fun, ready just to go. I’m calm, so I’m not gonna overthink. 

12:18 – 12:38

And then I just let my body move, and we practice so much to the point where you should be comfortable in those positions. Someone shoots, you should know what to do. Someone clubs you in the head, you know what to do. So I think just letting your body go without you thinking is probably the easiest, best way and good way to wrestle.

Singh: 12:39 – 12:40

And what is your best wrestling move?

Concepcion: 12:41 – 13:07

It’s changed so much. But I would say, recently I don’t really shoot as much. I like to just snap, go behind simple basics. But I would say I like double legs for neutral. I’ve noticed that I could. Well, there’s so many shots, but I would say double leg is probably my favorite to shoot. And then for top, I like to use my length. So I’m a 133 pounder, so I’m a lot taller for my weight class. I like to cradle, so I use my length to the advantage.

Singh: 13:08 – 13:09

What are your plans for next year?

Concepcion: 13:10 – 13:35

I’m hoping to find a job within graphic design or sports communications. I want to look into that and just continue working for athletics. I found a love for just all sports in general, like supporting other teams and supporting other athletes have been super fun on my part. I enjoyed the growth, so I enjoy seeing all that. So I want to be a part of it. So maybe stay[ing] out here would be a goal. 

13:35 – 14:00

I’m originally from San Diego, so if I don’t stay up here, probably back to San Diego. But yeah, just find a job within graphic design. Maybe do some freelance work to start. But if an opportunity opens up here, I want to take it because the city has just been so life changing. So much growth has happened from just being here. So I think just sitting and being a part of more growth would be a really cool opportunity.

Singh: 14:01 – 14:06

I mean, San Francisco is known to offer a lot of growth. Yeah, what kind of growth have you experienced [from] just being in the city?

Concepcion: 14:07 – 14:35 

As a person, I would say I definitely became way more mature from just being able to have professional conversations with others and talking to people that are in higher positions than me. But being treated like we’re the same level has been really nice. So emailing back and forth with people and just having that professional aspect in my life has been probably the biggest growth I’ve seen. 

14:35 – 14:58

In terms of personal, I would say with community, like I mentioned before. There’s been so much, like you see people face like the little things, the little dramas that happen, and then all of a sudden they overcome it and that’s growth right there. So I would say when you have a teammate or a friend that’s just having drama with you and being able to overcome it. 

14:58 – 15:08

It makes you closer, and then all of a sudden makes your community closer. So the little battles always makes the bigger picture. So I would say all the little growths.

Singh: 15:09 – 15:11 

And you’re expected to graduate in Spring 2026.

Concepcion: 15:12 – 15:13

Spring 2026, yeah.

Singh: 15:14 – 15:16

How many units are you taking this next semester?

15:17 – 15:30

This semester, I believe 15. And then next semester, 15 or 18. So a good amount, but it should be fun.

15:31 – 15:32

So five to six classes?

Concepcion 15:32 – 15:33

Five, six classes, yeah.

Singh: 15:34 – 15:34

Can you handle it?

Concepcion 15:35 – 15:57 

Yeah. It’s been hard because with the budget cuts and everything. As an athlete, we have our practice schedules, so we have to work around like a 7 a.m. lift or a 2:30 practice. And then a lot of the classes I was looking at were like 1 to 3 [p.m.], so it was hard to find the classes. But it’s manageable because I like to stay busy, or I like to say I like to stay busy. 

15:57 – 16:26

So I always have something going on, whether it’s practice, class, Bible studies with my team, Bible studies with my church, or just serving the church has been like, I like to stay busy, so I’m always moving, and that’s just been helping me keep going. So five, six classes can be hard if you make it hard. But, staying busy and just always doing something has helped me. It can even just be just doing my projects. If I always have something to do, I know I can make time to work on other things.

Singh: 16:27 – 16:29

And where are your best places to study at?

Concepcion: 16:30 – 16:52

A lot of the other athletes will probably notice this, but they always see me in the academic center, in the gym or the training room. I’m always in one of those two buildings. They’re both in the gym. But the academic center is for athletes to study. So I like to go up there and just get work done. I’m probably there most of the time. It’s kind of funny. People notice that, and they’re just like, “Go home. You’re always here.” 

16:52 – 17:12

Or I’m in the training room, just having conversations with people and just getting treatment. So I would say, I like to study in [the] academic center because, when I’m at home, it’s hard to study and get work done. I end up procrastinating, or just turning on TV, or listening to music and then forgetting. I want to learn guitar, so I start picking up the guitar. 

17:12 – 17:24

So there’s just so many things that I can do at home that it just makes me forget about things I should be doing. So when I don’t have classes I’m just in the academic center or in my free time I try to go in the academic center to get work done.

Singh: 17:25 – 17:33

You and me are the same, actually. I actually can’t study at home because I have in my house back in [Los Angeles], I have two electric guitars.

Concepcion 17:33 – 17:34 

Yeah, yeah.

Singh: 17:35 – 17:38

So I can’t study, because I’m just going to grab my guitar and start playing George Harrison.

Concepcion: 17:38 – 17:39

[You] always want to learn a new song.

Singh: 17:39 – 17:40

Steve Vier, you know.

Concepcion: 17:41 – 17:42

Yeah, that’s funny.

Singh: 17:42 – 17:54

And then in my apartment, literally across from SF State, I have an acoustic guitar and a violin bass. So then I’m always tempted to pick that up.

Concepcion: 17:55 – 17:56

Yeah, yeah.

Singh: 17:56 – 17:57

Distractions.

Concepcion: 17:56 – 18:22 

It’s fun. So I’m just like, I rather spend most of my time here. So it’s like 7 a.m. lift or 7 a.m. practice. Right after practice, I go to class and then after class I just go right to [the] academic center. Academic center ‘till practice. Practice ends at 4-ish. And then, sometimes, I have class 4 to 6:45 [p.m.]. So then I go right to my next class, and then 6:45, I’ll go walk home just to like – I was sitting all day and I want to get like a walk in, so I’ll walk back home.

18:22 – 18:35

And then after I walk home, I go to sleep, and then [the] next day starts again and it’s repeat. So I think that’s my busy schedule and I enjoy it. So trying to keep that up is going to be fun when I graduate.

Singh: 18:36 – 18:43

What is your dream job to have after you graduate from SF State? What is the dream?

Concepcion: 18:44 – 19:09

So I like to look at things in a way where if I’m not enjoying it, I don’t want to do it. So with the dream job, it’s probably where I got my most inspiration. A lot of my work right now involves palm trees or bright colors because a lot of my inspiration came from the [San Diego] Padres Instagram account, the baseball team. So I was like, ‘Okay, they have a lot of palm trees in the background and they do these different overlays.’ 

19:09 – 19:20

So I wanted to do that eventually. So I would say that’s probably my dream, just to keep on making graphics but do it for a sports team like that.

Singh: 19:21 – 19:25

What goals for next semester do you have for the wrestling team?

Concepcion: 19:26 – 19:50

Make it to March, send as many qualifiers to nationals and yeah, that’s the main goal. See how much growth we can have in this year. It goes by super fast. So I would say, [I] hope that most of us can make it. Last year, we sent two wrestlers to nationals, Kyle and Johnny [Lopez]. And Johnny won it at 141 [pounds]. So I would say, [to] keep on developing from that, and next year, or this year, we can send more. 

19:50 – 19:55

And I feel like our starters are all capable of doing it, so just seeing it happen is going to be big.

Singh: 19:56 – 19:57

Thank you so much, man.

Concepcion: 19:57 – 19:58

Singh: 19:59 – 20:02 

Well, Gators, thank you guys for listening. This is Paul Singh out.