Comeback complete: Izzy Balsiger achieves wrestling, academic goals

Born in Haiti, Balsiger moved to Chippewa Falls at 10 years old after being adopted. He tried wrestling as a sixth-grader and developed into a state champion by his junior season in high school.

Balsiger continued his success on the mats at UW-La Crosse, earning All-America honors as a freshman in 2013. But he struggled academically, and low grades ended his opportunity with the Eagles.

Nearly a decade later, Tim Fader, head wrestling coach for the Blugolds, asked Balsiger about continuing his career at UW-Eau Claire. Balsiger still had the drive, skill and strength to compete, but his personal life was drastically different. He now had a wife and two small children, and had opened his own wrestling club, Chippewa Elite Wrestling, to help young grapplers train during the offseason months.

Balsiger entered the 2023 Don Parker Open at McPhee Center unattached and won the 125-pound bracket. That led to a more serious conversation about joining the Blugolds in 2024.

“It was like an immediate shot in the arm,” Fader recalls of Balsiger joining the team. “That year we had our best year we’d ever had.”

The Blugolds won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship that season and earned a program-best fifth-place finish at the national championships.

This season, the Blugolds won their second WIAC title and advanced four wrestlers to the national championships, including Balsiger, who used a last-second takedown to win his regional bracket on Feb. 28.

“I think my smile said it all,” Balsiger says of the dramatic moment.

“It’s unbelievable,” teammate and fellow national championship qualifier Sloan Welch adds.

It takes a village

As much as Balsiger has boosted the Blugolds, he’s felt the support of an entire community during his pursuit of his athletic and academic goals.

“I’m doing the wrestling, but that’s about it. My coaches take care of the training, my wife’s taking care of the at-home stuff,” Balsiger says. “Parents at my wrestling club have stepped up keeping the place clean. I have Whitney Anderson who literally is doing all my paperwork in the background.”

Balsiger put his trust in God to stay healthy, passionate and focused, and in Fader, who simplified the senior’s training schedule to ensure balance across wrestling, coaching, studying as a nontraditional student and parenting.

“I don’t think any other coach could have navigated my chaos like Fader did,” says Balsiger, who has a record of 49-12 in three seasons at UW-Eau Claire. “There were times where I had to ask him questions about youth stuff, club stuff, business, life. It was an amazing part of the journey learning from him.”

Balsiger began his academic career at UW-Eau Claire studying Spanish, but he struggled to attend classes on campus with his wife working and two young boys at home.

“Babysitters were all in school,” Balsiger says. “It really didn’t leave me many options.”

But he found the right fit through professional studies, a major that allowed him to take courses online and stay on track to graduate in May. A decade ago, earning a college degree seemed unlikely, but now, Balsiger is grateful he was able to push through adversity.

“Since 2014, 2015, that’s been in the back of my mind. We’re going to get that, we’re going to finish our career, we’re going to get our degree,” Balsiger says. “It feels great; we’re getting there.”

Inspiration everywhere

Sophomore Zak McPhee is a team leader for the Blugolds, guiding others through talks about teamwork, attitude and handling uncomfortable situations. Included in that group is Balsiger, whose positive energy has proven to be contagious.

“That’s something I’d like to emulate,” McPhee says. “You have to be straight positivity, off-the-walls crazy energy and Izzy does a great job bringing that.”

Balsiger has time and again set the tone for his teammates and fans during competitions. He’s also inspired and mentored his club wrestlers through his accomplishments and defeats.

“I think he’s going to be a really successful teacher and coach,” Fader says. “What parent wouldn’t want to send their kid to Izzy’s club to learn wrestling or to have a positive, high-energy experience?”

Balsiger believes Fader will have a large influence on his coaching style.

“I tried to soak up everything that I could. If anybody’s paying attention to what he does to programs, it’s pretty awesome that I was able to tutor under that.”

Balsiger is seeded eighth in the 125-pound weight class and will open the national championships Friday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Learn more about the event here.