Nickerson still operating on the mat

Guy Cipriano

STATE COLLEGE — Troy Nickerson grabbed a practice partner during a demonstration, convincing Ken Chertow to interject an interesting tidbit to young wrestlers Saturday morning.

Craig Houtz

Brad Pataky, on top, demonstrates a wrestling move on Sam Recco during a Ken Chertow Wrestling Camp on Saturday, July 25, 2009.

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“Troy did this move in the NCAA quarterfinals and pinned his opponent in 20 seconds,” Chertow said.

Nickerson corrected the camp director and former Olympian.

“It was 14 seconds,” Nickerson said eliciting chuckles from more than 50 elementary and junior high wrestlers.

A witty, unassuming personality is reaping huge rewards for Nickerson, who’s visiting State College this weekend to teach young wrestlers during Chertow’s annual camp at the Ramada Inn on South Atherton Street.

Nickerson captured the NCAA 125-pound title as a junior for Cornell this past March despite an ailing father and balky shoulder. Nickerson’s victory over Edinboro’s Paul Donahoe was the last match witnessed by his father, Bob, who died of cancer in April.

Nickerson also underwent his second shoulder surgery, limiting his on-mat activities to conditioning and demonstrating moves to young wrestlers.

Capturing the NCAA title increased requests on Nickerson’s time in a positive way. He’s serving as a clinician/coach at 12 camps this summer while working at an oral surgeon’s office near Cornell’s Ithaca, N.Y., campus.

Nickerson is plotting a career as an oral surgeon. If his shoulder stays healthy, he wants to make a run at qualifying for the 2012 London Games.

“I’m really hoping I can finish out my wrestling career,” he said. “Hopefully, I can stay healthy this year and continue training for the next couple of years. Ultimately, I want to go into oral surgery, but I definitely want to get my wrestling done with first.”

Nickerson’s pedigree and demeanor suggests he could develop into a successful coach.

Nickerson, who attended Chertow’s camps throughout his youth career, engaged his young audience Saturday morning. He led drills in mat-filled rooms, demonstrating multiple moves, including one Chertow referred to as the “Nickerson Knee Pick.”