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JD began wrestling in 1965 in National Wrestling Hall of Fame coach 'Wild' Bill Ryder's Kid Wrestling program. Champ photos below were taken 6 months before Woodstock in 1969 and in 2016 JD still kicks the 6'5" guys in the head with either foot.
1971 'Sucking Canal Sand' is a term that Ryders wrestlers were trained to do. Even if you are getting whipped you go hard until thats what your lungs felt like. This front page photo shows JD wrestling in the District Finals with torn knee cartilage on both sides of his right knee and losing. He is hurting his opponent within the rules only with constant unrelenting pressure.
This weight class is 21 lbs less than 2 years earlier.
On the sports page with Ali - Frazier
After wrestling his Jr. year with torn cartilage and losing in the District Finals, JD then had to wrestle his JV team mate for 3rd place. JD left everything he had on the mat in the finals and was beaten by the JV.
1972 Senior High Wrestling Team Grants Pass, OR
Among the most important life lessons wrestling should teach you is the discipline to maintain
a healthy weight through out ones lifetime. As these pictures show JD went from a
chubby 157 lb winner in 9th grade to 136 lbs as a Jr. and 141 lbs as a Sr. in 1972.
In 2016 JD still maintains his weight of about 172 lbs
at the beginning of the wrestling season his senior year.
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