Sometimes you have that kid that drives you so crazy you cant help but love him. I think todays stud shoutout, LJ tinker biscuit Windom, started my hair graying, but he could make you angry then flash that infectious smile and get himself out of it. When he was coming up through youth football everyone told me I had to get him out for wrestling so when he walked into my class in 7th grade I told him he had to wrestle and didnt give him a choice. He was a 2x junior high state qualifier and a 7th place state finisher his 8th grade year, so expectations were high for him coming into high school. He wrestled 215 for the varsity as a freshman, a tough weight for a freshman, and he won 18 matches and qualified for districts. His sophomore year we had some issues making weight, and he spent about every match in the parking lot running before weigh ins. He still qualified for districts and just missed a state birth. Then he grew. And grew. And 215 was no longer an option. Problem was we had 4 of the best heavyweights in the area in our very own practice room in Lj, Zack Fraley, Danny Cochran, and Zack Myers. Fraley was a year ahead of the others and was established as one of the best heavyweights in this part of the state so Lj wrestled behind him his jr year. Which turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it motivated him coming into his senior year, and he didnt disappoint. But before I tell you about all the good he did that year let me share this story. Our opening tournament was in Toledo at Northwood High School. A two hour trip by bus. The boys will tell you that I always make them get a visual on shoes, singlets, and headgear before we leave for a match. As long as they have those items they are good to go. Now Lj did what he was told and made sure he had two shoes, his singlet, and his headgear. Problem is, Lj liked to grab shoes out of our extra box in the coaches office to wear, often wearing two different styles of shoes. It was his way of being unique. And he did have two shoes with him at Northwood. Problem was they were both left footed shoes. I still laugh thinking about his face as he held those two left footed size 13 shoes up in front of me. Again, wanted to put my foot in his behind but couldnt help but laugh. And yes, he did have to wrestle a match like that before his parents made it there with a different shoe. Lj was our anchor that year, winning 38 matches and qualifying for the state tournament, having to beat a returning state placer from tiffin in the go to state match who had beaten Biscuit the week before. He came up one match short of placing at state. His highlight that year was rolling to a JC Gorman title in a very tough weight with a pin in the finals. In the pictures below the first shows Biscuit pinning the University School heavy to secure a dual meet win for Lex - University was the number two ranked team in the state at the time. In the second pic he has heated rival Dalton Britt of Clear Fork on his back. And the third pic shows him going to work at the state tournament. He always brought a smile to my face and it was a blessing to have had the opportunity to coach him. Last I heard he was working at the Omaha Zoo in Nebraska and I am sure still bringing joy with that smile. The Stud Shoutout for Monday, July 28th goes to Lj Windom!
Posted on: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 14:06:42 +0000
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