United States National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson has led an inspiring career. He won the 1992 Olympic Gold Medal at 180.5 lbs. after capturing the 1991 Pan American Championship and World Championship. He later added to his resume by winning the 1995 World Championship.     Before his stellar freestyle career, Jackson finished as an NCAA runner-up and helped Iowa State claim the 1987 NCAA team title.    TheMat.com spoke with Jackson today to get his views on the future of the U.S. Freestyle National Team.    TheMat.com: The U.S. Freestyle team placed fifth in the World Championships last year and only had two medallists. Were you disappointed with the finish?  Jackson: I was disappointed with the final results. I wasn't disappointed with the effort, though. Definitely, we had goals to be the World Team champions, so when you take fifth, it is always going to be disappointing.    TheMat.com: Do you feel that the placement last year was due to a lack of international experience by some of the athletes?  Jackson: It was a lack of a few things. There was a lack of par terre defense more than anything else. We got beat by some pretty good guys. Five out of eight guys lost to eventual world champions. It just happened that those losses came in those pools where we were unable to advance. I think a little of it had to do with the guys we were competing against. The majority of our World champions have won it in their first time, so I don't chalk anything up to a lack of experience.    TheMat.com: Did the postponement of last year's World Championships have any effect on the way you coached and the way the athletes trained?  Jackson: I think it did. Our injury levels went up and down throughout the year. We ended up having five training camps instead of three training camps. Not being able to participate in the World Championships in your home country is definitely going to have an effect.    TheMat.com: Have you made any changes to the training styles after the Freestyle team finish last year?  Jackson: The athletes have realized that the areas that need a lot of improving in definitely need to be addressed for us to have success. We're always going to train hard and we're always going to train smart. The athletes realize that they have to step forward in order to be ready for the World Championships. As far as a conditioning standpoint, our training hasn't changed. We do realize that there are some things from match to match from a tactical standpoint that we need to reach out and change in order to reach our potential.    TheMat.com: With the talent and experience the U.S. has now at many of the weights, will there be higher expectations on this year's World Team?  Jackson: Our expectations won't be any higher than they have in the past. I think Stephen Abas will compete at 55 kg and also with Sammie Henson and Teagure Moore competing, we will have a legitimate guy at 55 kg. At 58 kg, (Eric) Guererro gives us experience. At 66 kg, (Bill) Zadick is at the top with (Chris) Bono coming from behind and Jamill Kelly improving. With other guys like Joe Williams and (Cael) Sanderson also competing, expectations are a little higher as a team. We're getting there as far as coach-athlete expectations and our final results.    TheMat.com: How has the loss of one weight class affected the athlete's training for international competition, and do you think with the filtering of wrestlers either moving up or down to certain weights, the World Team will be deeper and stronger?  Jackson: Any time you lose a weight class, it's a crushing blow. With the situation with Title IX across the country, we thought that we were safe internationally, but then when they dropped the two weight classes in 1996 and another in 2001, it's a really bitter pill to swallow. It seemed like there used to be a time when guys of all sizes were able to compete in the Olympics, but it's not like that anymore. It's affected a lot of wrestlers in our country.    TheMat.com: When you step into the wrestling room, who is the wrestler you feel has made the largest strides in the past year, and that can really be a force not only in the U.S., but on an international level as well?  Jackson: I think right now Joe Williams is the guy that's on top of his game. Just based on what he's done the past two years and based on what he's done this year so far. I think the expectations have always been higher for Joe being a three-time National Champion. When you look up and down the lineup, even though it hasn't been set yet, you see opportunities for guys like Teague Moore, Stephen Abas or Sammie Henson to be our starting guy at 55 kg. I think our team is rounding out. With only one athlete on our World Team that competed in the 2000 Olympic Games, you've got to kind of start from scratch but I think there is good depth at all of our weight classes.     TheMat.com: Bobby Douglas was named as the head coach of the 2002 World Team. He was your coach in 1992. What is your relationship with Coach Douglas and are you excited to be working alongside him with the World Team this year?  Jackson: I am excited to be working with both our volunteer coaches - both Bobby and Tom Brands. Bobby has been around the sport a long time. He knows what it takes in a training camp situation as well as a World Championships situation. I know what he brings as a head coach and I know what Tom Brands brings as an assistant coach. Our staff is strong and intact. There is no doubt that we'll do the right things. Anytime you get the right coaches and the right athletes around, you're going to get results.