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A magazine focusing on all things sports in northwest Kansas

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Tebo’s turn Ellis senior Skyler Tebo eyes state title opportunity in final high school season

The Hays Daily News

May 2014

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Hustle play Ellis’ Stephanie Greenway, bottom, and Washington County’s Courtney Moore go after a loose ball during their first-round game of the Class 2A state tournament in March at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan.

CHAD PILSTER, Sports Ink.

What’s up?

A look inside this issue

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6

Squaring off

MMA event in Hays showcases fighters of varying styles.

Tebo’s Turn

Senior Skyler Tebo has three state medals. He has one final shot to bring a gold medal to Ellis.

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Picture this

Focused on great finishes for the Hoxie basketball teams.

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Consistency matters

Hill City senior runner Leslie VanLoenen runs with the best of them.

Sports Ink. contributors: Nick McQueen nmcqueen@dailynews.net Conor Nicholl cnicholl@dailynews.net Everett Royer sportsink@dailynews.net Jolie Green jgreen@dailynews.net Chad Pilster cpilster@dailynews.net Austin Colbert acolbert@dailynews.net Volume 4, Issue 3 Sports Ink. is published and distributed by The Hays Daily News. Copyright © 2014 Harris Enterprises. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Sports Ink. is a registered trademark of The Hays Daily News, 507 Main, Hays, KS 67601 (785) 628-1081.

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Numbers just stand out I

n other pages of this issue, we have a photo collage of the Hoxie girls’ third straight Class 1A Division I state championship and the Hoxie boys run to the Class 1A Division I state finals.

The Indian girls take a 73-game winning streak into next season, while the Hoxie boys enjoyed the best year in school annals. Here is a look back and forward at some numbers that stood out most to me.

1. Jessica Princ’s unbelievably efficient season On the surface level, Osborne senior Jessica Princ collected all-state honors and earned first team all-area because of 15.7 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals, all team-highs for the Bulldogs, who finished third in Class 1A, Division I. But I always like to dig a bit deeper into the numbers. The best way to quantify a player and team is by looking at tempo-free or per possession statistics since every team plays at a different pace.

On a per-possession level, Princ had an incredible year. Helped by shooting 53 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point range and 76 percent from the free throw line — plus pulling down 69 offensive rebounds with just 49 turnovers — Princ averaged 1.31 points per possession.

Osborne senior Caitlyn Miller, a great player in her own right, averaged 15.2 points per game, but .799 points per possession, still very strong. Victoria’s Kristin Huser averaged .92 points per possession.

Wamego sisters Lanie and Kaylee Page are Division I prospects and arguably Kansas’ two best girl players. Lanie averaged 1.10 points per possession, while Kaylee averaged 1.25.

Even Creighton’s Doug McDermott couldn’t match Princ at 1.29 points per possession.

In short, what Princ accomplished on an offensive level this season is extremely difficult. Entering track season, Princ is also No. 37 nationally in the javelin with a throw of 133-1,

according to Kansas historian Carol Swenson. Princ and La Crosse senior javelin thrower Lucas Moeder (No. 13 at 194-8) are the lone area athletes on the national list.

2. Can the state streak continue?

The area normally has at least one virtual lock to win a team title in state track. The Hays High boys have won four in a row, while La Crosse and Plainville have won two straight on the boys’ side. Phillipsburg boys is the Class 3A runner-up the last two years, but graduated standout Sean Newlan.

Several years ago, the Ness City boys won back-to-back crowns. This year, HHS and Plainville are virtually starting over, and La Crosse lost its two top point scorers in sprinter Levi Morss and thrower Kip Keeley.

The Leopards still are firmly in the

For starters

conor

NICHOLL

ACIDIZING

CEMENT

mix for a Class 1A boys crown. An area boys team has won a state title the last five years, and at least one boys/girls squad has won a crown for the last seven years.

One of the more interesting stories of the spring will be the progression of teams and athletes in new roles improving.

3. Ness City girls on the rise In 2A, Shawnee-Marantha Academy is the heavy favorite on the girls’ side, but I think Ness City has an opportunity for a trophy. The Eagles were 11th last season with 28 points and return senior distance runner Jessie Rubottom, a multiple-time all-state finisher in cross country and track, and senior Emily Hahn.

Hahn and Rubottom went 1-2 in the 800 last year at state. Plus, Makenna Fritts threw a career-best 123-1 in the javelin to win the season-opening Alex Francis Classic and also won the 100 in 13.22 seconds and took second in the 300-meter hurdles (52.09).

TOOL RENTAL

KRISTIN HUSER Victoria senior

Huser, a four-year starting guard for the Victoria basketball team, led the Knights to their second state basketball appearance in four seasons, then starred in a postseason all-star game in Great Bend.

Huser averaged 15.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.4 steals per game for Victoria. Then in the Central Kansas All-Star Classic, she was named the American Team MVP after scoring 21 points in a 106-96 win. Huser, a Fort Hays State University signee, also will play as part of a USAII All-Star team in Austria in June.

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Who’s That?

Notable performances in northwest Kansas Kade Brown

Brown, a Decatur Community High School graduate, is in his first season with the Creighton University men’s golf team.

Brown has competed in nine meets, and led the way for the Bluejays in several of them. Most recently, Brown led Creighton in the Desert Shootout in Goodyear, Ariz.

Brown shot a 9-over-par 225 in the three-round tourney to finish in a tie for 32nd in the 15-team field.

Last season, in his final year at Oberlin, Brown shot a second-place 76 to lead the the Red Devils to the Class 2A state championship at Mariah Hills Golf Course in Dodge City.

Wendy Zimmerman

Zimmerman, a senior at Hays High School, is participating in two sports for the Indians this spring. In her first soccer game at the high school level, Zimmerman provided a game-winner in a 1-0 overtime victory against TMPMarian in the season opener.

Zimmerman, a high-jumper, triple-jumper, 400 runner and a member of the 1,600-meter relay team, collected four medals to help the Hays High track team to a fourth-place finish in the Wichita Southeast Invitational a week later.

Jordan Hoffman

Hoffman, a senior on the Otis-Bison boys’ track and field team, started his season with three gold medals in the La Crosse Invitational. Hoffman, a state medalists in the 100 last season, won the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes in La Crosse. He finished in 52.12 seconds to win the 400, 23.37 seconds to win the 200, and 11.26 seconds to win the 100.

Maddie Holub

claim the win.

Holub, Fort Hays State University’s All-American softball player a season ago, is up to her old ways. Holub, playing in a professional softball league in Collecchio, Italy, threw a perfect game in early April as her team picked up an 11-3, 9-0 sweep. In that game, FHSU’s record-holder in virtually every category, threw 15 strikeouts in six innings to

Got an idea of someone who you think should be included in Who’s That?

Send it to sportsink@dailynews.net with Who’s that? in the subject line, or call (800) 657-6017.

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Battle tested MMA promotion brings fighters to Hays

Page 6

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or the uninitiated, there is something barbaric about the sport of mixed martial arts. To outsiders, it might seem wild, unorganized and brutal. And sometimes it is.

But for those who train — and especially those who fight — it’s much more than a savage, gladiator-esque show of masculinity.

MMA is an art form, poetry in motion, that takes months, if not years, to perfect.

“Everyone thinks us fighters are all a bunch of thugs,” Kevin Gottschalk said. “Well, we May 2014

are not. A professional MMA fighter has to train. I don’t know any sport that you have to train harder. It’s so diversified and it’s so confusing because you are doing stand up, you are doing jiu-jitsu … if you are serious with it, it’s the most disciplined sport out there.”

With nearly four decades of experience in martial arts and MMA, Gottschalk has the credentials to make such statements. Now 54, he has been training since he was a 17-yearold junior at Thomas More Prep-Marian High School in Hays.

SPORTS INK.

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Gottschalk has found success at all levels of combat sports, from fighter to coach to promoter. He operates the Karate Fitness School of Martial Arts and Self Defense in Hays and since 2008 has been in charge of Black Gold Promotions, which has put on nine MMA events, most in Hays.

“We got some of the best shows around — anywhere. Our venue is not huge, but they are so entertaining,” Gottschalk said. “Now, I’m all about Sports Ink.

traditional martial arts, but MMA is not traditional martial arts.”

The most recent promotion, Battle at the Fort 9, was held on April 5 at the Ramada Convention Center in Hays. It featured 13 MMA bouts, six of which were professional fights with athletes from Kansas and Texas.

Inside the cage, it’s all business for the PAGE 8 fighters, professional and amateur.

May 2014

ABOVE: Professional fighter Cody Sherwood, of Hays, looks to finish his opponent, La Crosse’s Nelson Reinhardt. Sherwood won via unanimous decision.

ABOVE LEFT: Amateur Stephen Swingle, of Minneapolis, Kan., talks to the MC after winning his fight against Seth Sherwood.

Swingle, at 39, was the oldest fighter in the Battle at the Fort 9. See page 18 for more.

Austin Colbert, Sports Ink.

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S ABOVE: Professional fighters Chris Gutierrez, top, and Evan Woolsey battle against the cage. BELOW: In the main event, professional fighter Jon Cook tries to choke out Tim Roman as the referee watches.

Some are fighting simply for the thrill of it, but many are chasing dreams that go far beyond western Kansas — not to mention the professionals are also fighting for a paycheck.

Outside the cage, Gottschalk makes sure to keep the entertainment level high. From matching fighters, finding ring girls and making sure each rule set forth by the state of Kansas is followed, putting on a good show is a time consuming process.

“If you didn’t have to pay all the insurance and all the licenses, it

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wouldn’t be that hard to put on a fight. But the planning is tremendous.

People have no clue how much work I put into it,” Gottschalk said.

“When I relax is after everybody weighs in and the state gave me the A-OK and we get to go to the media and the fighters show their stuff and the ring girls come out. Then everybody is happy.”

Austin Colbert, Sports Ink.

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Being in the mix is nothing new for Skyler Tebo. Bringing a state championship to Ellis would be.

Sights Set E

LLIS — In one of the first clubs, seemingly never missing his decent weather days of the mark — even with a camera in his high school spring sports face almost directly in his line of season, Ellis senior Skyler sight.

Tebo lined up a shag bag “It’s been a while since he’s Nick McQueen shanked one,” his dad said. full of golf balls on the driving range at the Ellis “Can’t remember.”

Golf Course.

Tebo, in his final season Chad With Railroader coach on the Railer golf team, has Pilster Matt Carroll and his father, grown used to Brad Tebo, watching, Skyler calmly swinging under the PAGE 10 went through his succession of pressure.

story by

photos by

Sports Ink.

May 2014

Page 9

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“The last three years, I’ve peaked at the wrong time.”

Skyler Tebo, Ellis senior golfer

Since he burst onto the golf scene at the ripe old age of 5, Tebo has participated in numerous events in the region and the nation, transforming himself into arguably one of the most decorated golfers the area has seen. But a three-time Class 2A regional champion and threetime state medalist each of the last three

springs in high school, Tebo has yet to achieve his current level’s highest honor — a state championship.

It’s an annoyance the senior hopes to alleviate this season before making the jump to the collegiate ranks.

“Pretty excited to get things started,” he said. “Feel like I’ve got a pretty good

chance to finally get that state title.”

He’s been in the mix each of the last three seasons. As a freshman, Tebo took third with an 82 at Buffalo Dunes in Garden City. Then, he shot a 76 in a tie for fifth place with teammate Austin Lopez as a sophomore. Last season, Tebo finished fourth with a 78 at Mariah Hills Golf

, r

11 Course in Dodge City, leading Ellis to a third-place team finish, its highest since the Railers were second at Salina in 1997.

This time around, Tebo hopes to become Ellis’ first state champion (second overall) since Chris Mickelson delivered that feat in 1998 in Class 2-1A. “His expectation is a state championship, and I don’t know if he’ll be happy with anything less,” said Carroll, in his sixth season at the helm of the program.

“Skyler is one of those kids who sets a goal, and works hard to get to it. He works so hard in the offseason.”

This offseason, Tebo has worked with a change in his swing, and said he’ll have to spend some time working through it in the early part of the season. Mainly, he’s working so his swing is not so upright, a challenge for a golfer of his stature. Tebo was a 6-foot-2, 225-pound lineman for the Railer football team last fall, and this winter medaled at 220 pounds in the Class 3-2-1A state wrestling tournament.

“Hopefully we’ll get that all figured out by the end of the season when it starts really counting,” he said.

“He’s worked hard on his swing, made some changes, and he’s worked hard every day through the winter to try and make those changes stick,” Carroll said.

A good day in May could help Tebo capture his elusive gold medal.

“The last three years, I’ve peaked at the wrong time,” he said.

“I play decent throughout the year, then play good at regionals (69, 72, 72 the last three seasons).

“Then, I just don’t at state,” he added. “I just need to play how I play, and just let

Skyler Tebo, right, watches a video of his swing recorded by his father, Brad.

things happen.”

Starting early From Day 1 of his freshman season, Carroll said Tebo came right in and took over the Railers’ No. 1 spot, and never budged. Even as a 14-year-old, Tebo was already the Railers most experienced golfer — just not at the high school level.

“He came in so experienced. To be a freshman and having played in tournaments all across the country and just have huge family support to be able to help with all that,” Carroll said. “A lot of freshman are nervous, don’t know what to expect.

“That didn’t phase him a bit,” Carroll added. “Still even today, that experience is paying off.”

Tebo estimates he started golfing at 3, but started entering youth tournaments at 5. He remembers his dad would drop him off at Smoky Hill Country Club in Hays before work, and pick him up after.

When he was 7, he shot his first birdie on Hole 18 over the water at Smoky Hill.

“When I was 7 or 8, I kind of figured this was what I wanted to do,” he said.

He spent summers playing in various tournaments, mainly with the Northwest Kansas Junior Golf Association and the Kansas PAGE 12 Junior Golf Association.

2917 Vine, Hays 785-625-4830

12 When they were 9 and 7, respectively, he and younger sister, Tori, competed at the U.S. Kids World Championships in Williamsburg, Va., a tournament Skyler had competed in the year prior.

That experience is something for which he praises his father and mother, Sue Ann. “A pretty big reason I’ve been able to achieve anything I have,” Skyler said.

“They’ve always put up the money and the time, and those things so I could get in the best competitions, and play against the best kids.

“Just being in competitions like that and seeing those elite courses like I have, that’s just helped me a ton through my career, so far.”

Siblings back together After playing softball last spring, Tori Tebo decided to come out for the Railer golf team this year. Among a young group of seven on the Ellis roster, Tori will likely have a varsity spot on the boys’ team. Ellis does not offer girls’ golf, but Tori, an experienced golfer herself, likely will figure into a team score.

“She’s doing some good things and if she can get some confidence, she’ll help us out,” Carroll said. “We have some young kids that are working really hard.”

Skyler said his younger sister used to play all the time, but joked she was never really big on practicing, more just along for the ride when they would travel all over.

“I’m glad she finally went out,” Skyler said.

“She played when she was younger, but was never very fond of practicing, but liked to play.

“I think maybe she just liked to dress up and buy new clothes,” he joked.

But at as many practices as he can, Brad Tebo likes to watch both kids take swings and try and work with each. He spent some time at an early practice recording video of each on his cell phone, and using an app to help make adjustments.

“I was walking with dad a couple weeks ago, and he said ‘I hope she can take home one medal,’ ” Skyler said. “I said ‘Yep, I hope she takes home a medal at regionals, because that probably means we both could play at state together.’ That would be pretty cool.”

Relationship built on course Through the course of playing in all the tournaments he has, Tebo has met a countless number of people. He never thought he would meet someone he would want to spend so much time with. In fact, he was kind of fearful the first time he golfed with Page 12

Ellis sophomore Tori Tebo, center, works on the Ellis Golf Course driving range with older brother, Skyler.

his girlfriend, former Garden City High School standout Abbi Shaddix, last fall’s state girls’ runner-up in Class 6A. But, at the time, he wasn’t too worried about girls.

The two were paired together at a KJGA tournament in Garden City before they were in high school.

“I was dreading it,” Tebo said. “I didn’t want to be the kid who had to play with a girl.”

Even more so, he didn’t want to be the one who lost to a girl, he joked. But it almost May 2014

happened.

Tebo shot a 1-over on the front 9, and Shaddix shot a 45, but then, “I just remember her hitting her ball straight down the middle. I can hit my driver 60 yards past her, but she hits it down the middle and I don’t,” he said. “She hits her hybrid up onto the green and I’m chipping out of the tall stuff, up to the green, and then 3-putt.”

Then, Shaddix missed a 4- or 5-footer, Tebo recalled, and he ended up winning by just one stroke.

SPORTS INK.

13 This summer, Tebo was playing in a tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, while Shaddix was in Omaha, Neb. Tebo said she drove up from Omaha because she was “bored.“ He recently traveled with Shaddix’s father, Justin, to Fort Worth, Texas, where she is attending school and is a future member of the North Texas University women’s golf team.

Youth is served Last season, Carroll had his most experienced Railer team. Ellis, though, graduated four of its top six golfers from its third-place state finish. This year, only Skyler Tebo and senior Josh Tway return.

But, Carroll isn’t counting out the fact the Railers could be back at the state tournament after they compete in the Class 2A regional in Atwood on May 19.

“Atwood will have some tough teams there, but I think we’ll be just as competitive as anyone else,” Carroll said. “If we play good

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golf, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be there.”

Tway has been on the last two teams to make it to state. He was on the team as a freshman in 2011, then was Ellis’ fifth-best golfer at the state tournament last season.

“Hoping we can improve as a team throughout the year,” Skyler Tebo said.

“We’re not as deep as we have been, but hopefully, we can make it to that top three at regionals.”

Railers host at ‘The Fort’ It just so happens, this year’s 2A state tournament will be played on the course Tebo shot his first even par — as a 12-year-old, by his estimate.

Ellis will serve as the host of this year’s state finale, and it will be played at Fort Hays Municipal Golf Course in Hays.

“I remember I played a perfect first 10 holes with two birdies and eight pars,” he said. “I was 1-over after 16, and I made a birdie on 17. Then, I made about a 15-footer for par on 18.”

For several years, the Kansas State High School Activities Association has been in contact with Carroll about possibly hosting the state tournament in Hays at Smoky Hill Country Club. When things didn’t work out there, Carroll suggested ‘The Fort’ as a host.

“They welcomed us with open arms. I’m glad it’s working out,” Carroll said. “I talked with a lot of area coaches about how they felt about that being a state site, and they all said ‘Yeah, that sounds great.’ ”

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Carroll and the Railers already team up once a year with WaKeeney-Trego and coach Mark Pfannenstiel, to host a rare high school tournament — the I-70 Classic.

The 12-team event is played on 36 holes through two different courses at Ellis Golf Club and Big Creek Golf Club.

Ellis used to have its meet early in the season, but weather always caused issues, so the two paired up later in the year.

“We’re always looking for a few more teams, but we put six at one course, then six at the other,” Carroll said. “It’s a long day for the kids, but you hear them talk after, and they say what a fun day it was.”

After 18 holes, the 12 teams switch courses, and golfers are re-paired together, and finish the 36-hole round.

On to college Tebo recently signed with Garden City Community College to golf next year. He said he had looks and offers from various schools, including Fort Hays State University.

He has the ultimate goal, though, of competing at a Division I level.

“If I have a really good freshman year, maybe I can go somewhere big after one year,” he said. “If I have to play two years, I can still move on.”

He added college might be a five-year engagement anyway, so even having to redshirt in his third year might not be a bad thing, for the opportunity to play.

“I just want to play with the best competition, eventually,” he said.

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Hoxie Grinnell Quinter Hoxie’s Tyler Kaus (23) and Chase Kennedy celebrate the Indians’ win in the semifinals of the Class 1A Division I state tournament in March in Emporia.

Photos by Chad Pilster, Sports Ink.

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16

“It’s a stressbreaker for me. I find it fun, also.”

Leslie VanLoenen, Hill City senior runner

Consistency matters Ringneck senior hasn’t been the best, but she’s kept pace

H

ILL CITY — Hill City High School senior Leslie VanLoenen has noticed the competition changes every year at the regional and state level for cross country and the distance events in track and field. Girls often have their times increase as their careers progress.

“I have always worried about getting slower,” VanLoenen said. “Everyone always says, ‘The older you get, the slower you are going to get, because you are going to mature.’ I am like, ‘OK, I don’t want that to be me.’ ” Through three and a half years, VanLoenen has remained consistent as a four-time state placer in cross country Page 16

and has reached the state track meet all three seasons. This year, VanLoenen is competing in the 1,600- and 3,200meter runs.

Brad Eckols, in his 19th year as Hill City’s cross country coach and the Ringnecks’ distance coach in track, calls VanLoenen an “extremely hard worker” and “extremely competitive.”

Eckols labeled VanLoenen the best female distance runner he has coached in his Hill City tenure. VanLoenen, headed to Pittsburg State University next fall, also carries a 4.0 grade-point average. She is not expected to run in college.

“That blend of competitiveness and May 2014

hard work has kept her at a consistently high level of performance,” Eckols said. “She does a lot on her own. I always take the approach of what we do in practice is the bare minimum, and Leslie is one of those athletes who takes that and goes on and builds upon that bare minimum.”

At state cross country, VanLoenen has finished sixth, 10th, 17th and 14th despite running similar times. She posted 16 minutes, 25.56 seconds as a freshmen and then ran 16:35, 16:24 and 16:46 the last three years.

“Just depends on the competition,” she said.

In 2010, eight freshmen, including SPORTS INK.

s

17 VanLoenen, placed at the state cross country meet. Only three ended up placing all four years: VanLoenen, Elbing-Berean Academy’s Wendy Busenitz and Ness City’s Jessie Rubottom.

In track, VanLoenen has qualified for state in the 3,200 meters all three years with 10th, 14th and seventh place finishes. She is one of three girls to qualify for the 3,200 each of the last three years – and the only one who didn’t graduate after last spring. Eckols saw VanLoenen’s talent when she was young.

“I could see with her as early as fifth grade, and I worked very hard campaigning for her to run cross country all through those later elementary years and during junior high,” he said.

“She did play volleyball in junior high, but we always had her eyes on the fact that once she got into high school, she would do cross country. I lobbied for a long time.”

VanLoenen does a variety of workouts outside of practice. If it’s raining, she will go to the hospital and run indoors. If she believed practice “wasn’t enough,” she will go for a run on her own. On weekends, she enjoys going to the old railroad tracks by the Hill City ballfields, a route Eckols showed her.

“It’s relaxing,” she said.

“It’s a stress-breaker for me. I find it fun also. A lot of people don’t think running is fun.”

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The tracks have several unique animals, including horses in pasture, dead snakes and other wildlife.

“Foxes that are eaten up. It’s just kind of interesting,” she said with a laugh.

“It just adds to it.”

VanLoenen has a natural, graceful running style that’s different than many other runners. She stays very loose, a trait that Eckols watches for.

On a practice run four days before the season-opening Ellis meet, Eckols reminded her to not “make fists” when she runs.

“I have noticed the looser I run, the better I run,” she said. “I went to one cross country camp, and they always said to keep your arms loose, and you will feel comfortable and relaxed, so I’ve always tried to keep my arms really loose.”

VanLoenen’s best finishes have come in cross country. As a sophomore, she helped Hill City to a sixth place team finish at state, but then was the lone Ringneck to qualify each of the last two years.

“She has always had a nice running form,” Eckols said. “She does make it look easy. In cross country especially, her strength is on the hills, and that sets her apart from other competitors in that she runs hills very well. She makes hill running look easy, too.”

On the track, VanLoenen doesn’t have the hills, but has still enjoyed success.

As a freshman, she finished seventh in state in the 3,200, eighth in the 1,600 and 13th in the 3,200 relay.

VanLoenen’s best times are 5:40.91 in the 1,600 and 12:24.77, both set as a freshman. As a sophomore, VanLoenen missed half the season because of mononucleosis and was sick at the start of last season with allergies. VanLoenen is allergic to grass, mold, trees and has even broken out in welts in practice when stickers touch her skin.

“I have really bad allergies, so I try to take Allegra or something to control that,” she said.

Last year, Eckols and VanLoenen looked at the rankings entering regionals.

The 1,600 comes before the 3,200 in the race order. VanLoenen wasn’t seeded high in either event and didn’t think she would qualify for state.

They decided VanLoenen would skip the 1,600 and focus on the 3,200.

They believed runners that ran both events would tire themselves out for the 3,200 after running the 1,600.

The strategy worked and VanLoenen reached state.

This season, VanLoenen looks to qualify in both distance events, medal for the first time since her freshman year at state — and maintain a consistency in distance events marked by continuous change.

Conor Nicholl, Sports Ink.

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18

Age doesn’t keep fighter out I

was 24 when I first got involved with mixed martial arts and was instantly addicted. Honestly, I wasn’t any good and never came close to actually fighting, but I loved the training and the camaraderie that came with it.

This was two years ago. Now 26, I feel I’ve passed my fighting prime and any dream I had of being an amateur fighter is pretty much dust in the dry, Kansas wind.

Then I met Stephen Swingle on April 5 at Battle at the Fort 9 in Hays and I’m no longer sure that’s the case.

Swingle, who lives in Minneapolis, Kan., is 39. He is married and has two kids, 15 and 16. His children really aren’t into athletics. His son “is more of a computer guy” that recently got involved with forensics, and his daughter likes to sing.

This is unlike their father, who prefers to lock himself in a cage with much younger men who want nothing more than to knock his front teeth in.

“I tried to get him into wrestling, but after I threw him on his head once, he said no,” Swingle said of his son.

Swingle, a former Marine and experienced grappler, first started training in MMA in 2005 while living in upstate New York. His first two fights came in 2010, both losses via decision. Three years ago he moved back to Kansas — he had previously lived in Little River, near McPherson — because he thought “the morale ground is good” and that “Kansas is a great place to raise your children.”

He started the Minneapolis Fight Club, but because of the town’s small population, often had to travel to different gyms across the state to find training partners and coaches. Then, in November, he went from training for the fun of it to training for an actual fight.

Swingle had a few fights fall through, but in late March was able to step into the cage for the first time in four years when had fought Devin Eckman in Emporia. Eckman, young enough to be Swingle’s son, forced Swingle to tap

out after getting him in a guillotine in the second round.

“I should have beat him, but that was my first time back and I was a little apprehensive,” Swingle said. “When you get in the ring after so many years of being gone, it’s not just like, ‘I’m back!’, you know what I mean?”

Then in Hays on April 5, despite being 39 with a 0-3 record as an amateur fighter, he decided to give it another go. He fought Wichita’s Seth Sherwood in a 185-pound match, and submitted him in the second round for his first career MMA victory.

“It feels good — I’m an older man going against these young bucks,” Swingle said.

“But I’m in pretty good shape for an older man and I don’t look that old.

But I think I was the only one with a full chest of hair.”

How much is left of Swingle’s fighting

The Closer

austin

Colbert

career remains to be seen. He is happy with his life in Minneapolis, where he is a generator technician for Detroit Diesel. He had a few more fights in the works, but also knows at 39 his days are probably numbered as a MMA fighter.

Regardless of if he ever fights again, I can’t help but be a little inspired. I have another 13 years before I’m his age and I can only imagine what I can accomplish in that time frame. Is becoming a MMA fighter in my future?

Probably not.

But if I, or anyone else, ever uses age as an excuse, I’m sure Swingle would have something to say about it.

“MMA is a good way for older people to try to lose weight and motivate themselves,” Swingle said. He lost about 45 pounds from November to April getting in fight shape. “If people want to try and motivate themselves, sign yourself up for a fight. You are going to work a lot harder because you aren’t going to want to get your (butt) kicked in the cage.”

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