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Show Hard Work Pays Big Dividends By DAVE WIGHAM Clipper Sports WOODS CROSS -- "He may not have all the talent in the world but he really works hard and is one of the most dedicated and intense athletes I know. Give me ten of him anyday." THOSE WORDS came from Woods Cross wrestling coach Bob Steele who was talking about his unlimited wrestler Ken Fincher. Ken is a 6'2" 225 pound senior athlete who has earned seven letters as a Wildcat and who plans to continue his athletic career on the junior college level. "Dixie has talked to me about football and I'm going down there to earn a scholarship and a spot on the club. All I ask for is a chance and they have given me one." KNOWING THE dedication this kid has one has to believe he'll work his way onto the squad for the Rebels and will end up playing a big role in their successes as he has with three sports for the Cats. As a sophomore Ken wrestled on the junior varsity level and was a member of the track team. He didn't participate in football that year, "I wish I had now but back then I had a job and football just wasn't that big of a thing to me" he reflected. Last year the bigjunior participated parti-cipated in football, mainly on the JV team but seeing some time on varsity, and as the varsity unlimited wrestler. During track season Ken was involved in several of the field events. THIS YEAR thus far he was the nose guard for the football team, wrestled in the unlimited class for the Cats and is currently involved in the shot, discus and javelin for Woods Cross. Although he has had some big moments for the Cats, his biggest thrill in athletics took place last summer when Ken was a participant in the annual National Sports Festival. IT ALL STARTED when Ken decided to wrestle in the AAU program. He won a spot at the Nationals in Pullman, Washington by winning win-ning both the Roman-Greco and the Freestyle classes. Those victories qualified Ken for the Grand Nationals which were in Lincoln, Nebraska. Neb-raska. In this meet Ken placed fourth in the Freestyle event and sixth in the Roman-Greco. "It was really tough back there, especially for me in the unlimited class. I'm used to being one of the bigger wrestlers in my class but I was the smallest one back there, most of the guys I went up against were about 270 pounds" he laughed. In any event Ken was the right age for the National Sports Festival so Coach Allen, who coached the Olympic 200 club in the Grand Nationals, invited Ken to a tryout camp. Again all Ken wanted was a chance and he got it, he then took full advantage of the situation and was named the unlimited wrestler for the North side. DURING THE Festival Ken wrestled well but once again faced opponents much bigger than him, "I placed fourth, should have been third but lost in the last few seconds. It was just great being there though, I really enjoyed the experience" he noted. Ken is excited these days because he has received word that there is a strong possibility that he'll be able to return to the Festival this summer. "Age is a big factor and I still qualify so there's a good chance I'll get to go back." Once again all Ken wants is that chance. ; ; . I . ' : t f th !W . ,x;- i .z. JS'-WIB . ''M::A. if . IS: "M;"-' :': . : V . " :. 5 .-.'Y:-. SwSwws I i ' f I if mmfflm .,,.,n-.vvmiy;::'-;:-H. Ken Fincher, standing in front of posters from last year's wrestling festival, may get the chance to return a second time this summer. BY HIS own admission Ken was a little disappointed dis-appointed in his season as a senior wrestler for the Cats, one that saw him place third in the region tournament and fail to place at state. "I'm not sure what happened, I didn't do too well though did I? It certainly didn't go the way I wanted it to, maybe I just tried too hard. My success during the summer may have gone to my head or something like that, I just can't put a finger on one thing that caused it." Ken Fincher has always been one of the biggest kids in his class, although he does admit to being a short chubby kid as a sophomore, sopho-more, "but the good thing about that is no one bothers you" he laughed. As a sophomore he got going on the weight program which has helped develop him into a strong athlete. "It seems I work out more and more with the weight, right now I use them three or four times a week." ONE OF THE interesting facets about Ken is one of his hobbies. This big guy collects buttons. but-tons. That's right the things that keep your shirt done up. "I just started collecting them as a little kid and have stuck with it. I put them on my curtains and right now I have over 500 of them in my collection." Besides this hobby Ken also enjoys trap shooting and hunting, plus he's getting a strong interest in photography. photo-graphy. But it's sports that has played a big role in his lifestyle. "I just thought athletics would help me out in the future, basically though I just enjoy sports. I've worked hard at athletics, sure my size helps, but I think I'd be just as successful at 180 pounds or around there. I might even be better at a lower weight" he added. KEN FINCHER enjoys a challenge, he loved the nose guard spot because he saw it as more responsibility. He's ready for the challenge of college football and Dixie is giving him the chance. The chance is all Ken wants and you can bet your life that he'll make the most of it next fall. |