JOHN HUNT: Soddy Daisy's Tucker Russo A True Champion

I’ve covered a lot of sporting events in my 37-plus years as a sports writer.

 I’ve had the honor of doing hundreds of feature stories about individuals who have performed at extraordinary levels, but I don’t think I’ve ever been any more inspired by anyone than Soddy Daisy’s Tucker Russo.

This guy went to the traditional state wrestling tournament last week in Franklin as a heavy favorite to win the 160-pound title in the AAA tournament.  After all, he had won state titles the past two years and he entered the weekend unbeaten.

Even more impressive, he had not allowed a single offensive point all season, which means he had not allowed a takedown, a reversal or back points in more than 40 matches.

He won his first match with a pin in the first minute, but he suffered a heartbreaking experience in his second-round match.

Leading a kid from Smyrna by a 5-0 margin, Russo was called for an illegal slam and the match was stopped.  Both the trainer and the kid himself said that he was okay and ready to continue, but the Smryna coach refused and took the win by disqualification, thus ending Russo’s unbeaten streak and the possibility of another state title.

Oh, it was a devastating and heart-breaking loss to be sure.  Despite an unethical decision on the coaches part and despite the injustice of the situation, the call stood and Russo was then sent to the consolation bracket.

A lesser man would have reacted in a much different manner, but that wasn’t the case for the 18-year-old son of Steve and Sherry Russo.

You want to talk about making the best of a bad situation.

That’s exactly what he did as he came back to finish third in his weight class.

I had already decided I would do a story on him when he won his third state title and my intentions were even stronger after seeing what happened.

I went to Soddy Daisy High School on Monday for my interview and I must admit, it was one of the most inspiring and heart-warming experiences I’ve ever had.

“It’s hard to say how I felt about it, but it was an unfortunate situation and I just had to make the best I could after it happened,” Russo said while taking a break from a morning class.

“I didn’t necessarily agree with it, but there was nothing I could do about it.  I just had to move on and learn from my mistake.  You know, there are times when things don’t go your way, but it’s all about how you bounce back.  I think I got a lot of respect from people there by finishing third,” he said in his usual quiet tone.

While Russo has made his name on a wrestling mat, he has always been an outstanding athlete.

He earned a black belt in karate before starting wrestling at the age of six.  He was also outstanding as a football and baseball player in earlier years before deciding to focus only on wrestling.  The decision has turned out to be a good one.

“I couldn’t ask for anything better as wrestling has taught me so much and I’m still learning.  It has always been a positive experience for me and I’ve always been competitive.  You just have to believe you’re the best, but I’ve always had good coaches push me and my dad never let me take the easy way out.”

And just who was the toughest match you’ve had as a prep wrestler?

“Without a doubt, it was Cleveland’s Ezra Taylor.  I lost to him 4-3 in the region finals when I was a sophomore but came back to beat him in double overtime in the state finals a week later.  He beat me again the next year, but we were in different weight classes so we didn’t wrestle again.

“Ezra was always a tough competitor and we’ve been good friends for a long time,” Russo recalled.

“I got involved with the Soddy Daisy Kids Club when I was younger and I always wanted to wrestle for coach Steve Henry.  All I learned along the way prepared me for a moment like last Thursday,” he added.

While Thursday’s experience was tough for everyone involved and even others who weren’t, it may have been the hardest for head coach Jim Higgins, who was back at the motel when it all unfolded.

Higgins had been ejected from the region tournament for unsportsmanlike conduct after questioning a referee’s call and was forced to sit out the next two dates that included Thursday and Friday of the state tournament.

Higgins was an undefeated state champion at Soddy Daisy when he was a senior, so he knew what Russo was facing.  He was another who was inspired by the reaction that his best wrestler displayed.

“I spent the entire weekend reflecting on him and what happened Thursday.  I was so uplifted and inspired by the way he handled it.  I think we were tested to the nth degree on sportsmanship, but there’s no better example of a good sport than Tucker Russo,” Higgins said on Monday.

“He’s a prime example of what we try to teach our kids, but he’s the real deal and he showed what he was capable of doing.  Tucker has dealt with life’s trials and tribulations for a long time, but he really wanted to prove himself after that incident on Thursday.

“Tucker didn’t get what he was shooting for as a freshman when he lost in the state semis, but he’s been motivated ever since.  I just want him to get the credit he deserves.

“What he’s done at Soddy Daisy is beyond special and I can only hope to have another one like him one day.  And what happened to him last weekend may turn out to be the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

“I realized on Saturday morning that it would be Tucker’s last day as a Soddy Daisy Trojan.  There’s no other sport when the coach/athlete relationship is closer, but we knew the future was bright for him at the start.

“I’ve been able to count on him for four year as he was always a win in our pre-match plans, but he’s an example of a guy who did things the right way and he will be sorely missed,” Higgins concluded.

Former coach Steve Henry has a special relationship with Russo as he’s the same age as Henry’s twin daughters.  He’s known Russo most of his life and he continues to be impressed by the way this young man carries himself.

“Tucker physically challenges himself all the time, but he got started with our kids club and he took to wrestling like a duck to water,” Henry said on Monday morning.

“I stepped out (as a coach) when he stepped in, but that situation on Thursday was tough.  I had to be diplomatic and try to get the message across to the other coach while keeping my head.  We reflected on it all after his third-place match, but I just love that kid.

“He’s one of the most loving people I’ve ever been in contact with.  It’s an unjust world, but he handled it better than most,” Henry added.

Ashley Brooks has been a Soddy Daisy assistant coach for a long time.  He was another who was inspired by Russo’s action.

“Tucker is just an awesome young man and one of the best wrestlers to ever come through our program.  He manned up when he had to, but he’s a popular guy and everybody likes him.

“He’s a lot of fun to be around, even outside of wrestling, but he knows what he wants and the way he carries himself is impressive,” Brooks nodded.

Brad Laxton is another Soddy Daisy assistant coach who was in the corner when Thursday’s disqualification was handed down.

“Tucker has inspired me a lot of times, but how he handled himself then was top notch.  He’s what you hope your kid turns out like and he’s the kind of young man I want my daughter to bring home from college one weekend.

“It’s so easy to be a stand-up guy when things are going good, but not so easy when they’re not.  I kept reminding him of Dan Gable, who lost his last college match before becoming an Olympic champion.

“I’m not sure I’ll ever coach another one like him, but he’s the total package and a quality individual for sure,” Laxton said.

So what about the future now that his prep career is finished?

He decided after last weekend to go to the Senior Nationals, which will be held in Virginia Beach in early April. 

“At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted to go, but after last weekend, there’s no doubt as I don’t want to finish my high school career like that,” Russo said.

And there’s a good chance that he’ll wrestle in college, although he hasn’t made that decision yet.

“I’m thinking about UTC and maybe Appalachian State, North Carolina State or Virginia.  I just want to keep my options open at this time,” he added.

Another high school wrestling season is now in the books.  There are always interesting stories along the way and Soddy Daisy’s Tucker Russo certainly is.

I’m just glad that I had a chance to be a small part.  He’s one of those guys I’ll remember for a long time and he’s the kind of person I can learn from.

And that’s what makes my job so rewarding.

(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)