David Redd during last year's region tournament.
photo by Greg Davick
The David Redd whirlwind teaching/coaching schedule shows advanced placement courses in the morning and Chattanooga Christian School wrestling coaching duties in the late afternoons and early evening.
In between, Dr. Redd is applying the Hippocratic Oath as a medical doctor at Parkridge Hospital.
After his AP classes in Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, he zips to the hospital for gallbladder or hernia surgery (Monday-Wednesday-Friday) and sees patients on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Then it's a quick change from white coat, scalpel and stethoscope to sweat clothes and head gear, teaching young men the finer points of man's oldest sport, which Redd learned a few decades ago in California.
Redd is in his third year as head coach of the varsity with no feeder program, which he believes is a must to successfully sustain the program long term.
"I would like to see CCS start a wrestling program in the grammar and middle schools which would really benefit the varsity team," he stated. "That's the only way we can compete with the Baylor's and Soddy Daisy's of the world."
Redd wrestled for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (1971-1974; graduating with honors in biochemistry), followed by four years with Athletes in Action, a Christian wrestling team connected with Campus Crusade for Christ, International.
"While I loved the wrestling, I really loved the ministry we had both on and off the mat."
He hung up his singlet and headgear for good in 1977 – or so he thought – and soon thereafter began his medical career.
Redd's career path showed med school in Memphis, residency in Birmingham and a successful practice in Atlanta, before a move to Chattanooga came in 1996.
"I thought I was through with wrestling until a friend of mine invited me to attend the California High School state tournament a few years ago and I was hooked, again," said Redd.
"But for now I am coaching, as it's hard to get the sport out of your system," he stated.
Redd and his wife, Candy, have two daughters who attended the University of Tennessee.
News and Notes:
QB Club – Chattanooga wrestling coach Chris Bono will be the featured speaker at today’s (Monday) Chattanooga Quarterback Club lunch at Finley Stadium at noon.
The Mocs are ranked No. 11 in the college coaches’ poll.
Outstanding Wrestlers: Tee Boone (Notre Dame) and Jake Young (Ooltewah) captured their first high school OW awards this past weekend. At the Knox. Catholic tourney, Boone used two, third period takedowns to defeat three-time state champion Bailey Whitaker (Baylor), 5-4 in the 125 pound finals … Young defeated Danny Tolbert (Red Bank), 3-2, in the 171 pound finals (also the tournament’s best match) … Another highlight of the weekend came at the Walton Duals (Ga.) as McCallie’s Kendall Ray defeated Division I defending 103-pound state champ Jeremy Miller of Greenback.
Knox. Catholic: Baylor was first (272.50 pts.) with 12 place winners (top six) and a pair of champions in Zach Watson (103) and Alex Manley (112). Notre Dame was second (169 pts.) with seven medalists and two champions in Tee Boone (125) and Pat Flynn (189). Rhea County finished tied for seventh (140.50) with Milton and had six medalists and one champion in Cody Graves (215).
Ooltewah/Keith Johnson: The host Owls (205 pts.) won their first Ooltewah/Keith Johnson Memorial tourney … All 16 teams had at least one medallist … The Owls had nine medallists (top four) and five champions in Chris Bradbury (112), Cody Hood (130), Jared Wolfe (152), David Jordan (160) and Jake Young (171).
Runners-up Soddy Daisy (194.50 pts.) had eight medallists, including a quartet of champions in Dustin Gardner (103), Justin Hammonds (119) Jake Gamble (125) and Mikey Fuller (140). The Trojans had won this tournament the past seven years.
Black Horse (Memphis): Hixson (196 pts.) had no champions, but had 10 place winners (top eight) in the 13th Black Horse Invitational hosted by Houston H.S. Brother Martin (La.) was the winner (261.50), while Christian Brothers was second (244.50).
2007 Division II state champ (103) Daniel Baucke (Christian Brothers) defeated Brett Dial (Collierville), 12-0 in the 112-pound finals. Baucke and his teammates face Soddy Daisy Friday at 6 p.m. in a dual and will compete in the Soddy Daisy Invitational on Saturday.
Huntsville: Bradley Central (204 pts.) won the Huntsville (Ala.) Invitational ahead of runners-up Scottsboro (178). The Bears had 12 medalists, including six champions in Ethan Hames (103), Eddie Stiles (125), David Graham (135), Chris Aguilar (140), David Paulo (145) and Matt Watson (160).
McMinn Duals: Host McMinn County won the McMinn Duals for the first time since 2001. MC defeated Knox West in the finals, while McMinn Central/Grace (combined team) was third and Silverdale Baptist was fourth.
Christiansburg Duals: Cleveland was 4-1 at the Christiansburg (Va.) Duals. Cleveland’s Josh Jadooborsingh (4-0), Ben Spires (4-0), Travis Leonard (5-0) and Marvin Lopez (2-0) were unbeaten for Cleveland at the duals.
Results: Cleveland 78, Radford (Va.) 4; Cleveland 63, Glenvar (Va.) 10; Cleveland 60, Potomac Falls (Va.), 13; Christiansburg, VA 50, Cleveland 10 and Cleveland 70, Bandys (N.C.), 6.
Dalton Carpet Classic: Lafayette had four champions and 226 points to win the Dalton Carpet Classic. Murray County was second with 200 points and three champions; Dalton Lane (112), Blake Rainey (152), Jake McConathy (285). Walker Valley was the lone Tennessee team in the 19-team field and place seventh with one champion (Lindsey Aragon, 140), three medalists and 93 points.
Lafayette, the defendingg Georgia AA state champs, had winners in Charlie McCalmon (103), Matthew Stanfield (130), Justin Gilbert (145) and Derek Thompson (189).
Baylor Dosters: Ninth grader Stuart Doster (119 lbs.) is the eighth and last Doster (at least for now) to wrestle for Baylor. Brothers, Stokely, David and Freeman all wrestled for the late Luke Worsham. Stokely has had two sons – Stokes (state champ) and Fritz – wrestle, while Cross, Reed (two-time state champ) and Stuart are Freeman’s sons.
This Week: (a few key matches)
Tuesday – Cleveland at Ooltewah (7 p.m.)
Thursday - Soddy-Daisy at Hixson (6 p.m.)
Friday – Collins Hill at Baylor (4:30 p.m), Christian Brothers at Soddy Daisy (6 p.m.), Father Ryan at Cleveland (6 p.m.)…
Saturday - Cleveland Duals (oldest duals tournament in Tennessee) ... Soddy Daisy Invitational ... Slamfest Duals in Clarksville (Ooltewah) … Lion Duals (Bradley Central) in Suwanee, Ga. … Brett Warren Invitational (Dade County, Hixson).
Contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net