Humphrey's Champion School of Wrestling 

Wrestling
Jim Humphrey: Father's Day Hall of Famer
By Kevin Schlosser

Father's Day is a celebration; it is a day of remembrance for what has passed and a day of hope for what is yet to come. Some of the greatest triumphs a father can experience are the successes and happiness of their children. Different fathers have different ways of raising their children; some choose to push, others look to support, and many try to combine the two. Sometimes the best fathers are the best teachers and sometimes the best students become the best fathers. There is no right way and there is no wrong way to raise a child when you follow your heart.

For Coach Jim Humphrey and wrestlers Jordin and Reece Humphrey, Father's Day is an everyday occurrence at Ohio State. On a day that we celebrate the best in fatherhood, it is hard not see the shining example Coach Humphrey has set. The Humphrey Family story is a tale worth telling as the ending has yet to be written.

Jim Humphrey, a Coshocton High School graduate, came to Ohio State in 1969 as a wrestler that had never placed at the state tournament. While the odds were against him, the heart, desire, and determination were there. By the time he left Ohio State, the roots of a hall of fame wrestling and coaching career had been established; two time NCAA Qualifier, All American, a Big Ten Champion, and a US National Champion. The leadership that made him a team captain opened the door for him to return as both a graduate assistant and a full time coach. In his personal life, Humphrey had earned his college degree and met his future wife Adrienne, very important considering she becomes the mother of two future Buckeyes.

After leaving Ohio State, Coach Humphrey continued active wrestling on the national and international level during the seventies as well as serving as an assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma. Throughout the decade, the transplanted Buckeye earned 5 US National Freestyle Championships, placing as high as second in the World Freestyle tournament in 1977. As Humphrey gained valuable experience as a wrestler and a coach, he also became close friends with his frequent teammate Russ Hellickson.

Humphrey was considered a rising star in the collegian and international coaching ranks. Opportunities were plentiful and with a supporting wife, it became Jim's time to shine. He left Oklahoma to become the 1984 Canadian Olympic Freestyle Coach. Humphrey was then named the head coach at Indiana University. In 1988, he became the United States Olympic Freestyle Coach. As the nineties began, Humphrey was in Philadelphia running the premier wrestling club in the country, Team Foxcatcher. Success and respect surrounded Coach Humphrey in his professional life and he was blessed with two young sons and a caring wife in his personal life.

At this point in his life, Jim Humphrey had time for reflection and time to make decisions. For twenty five years, wrestling had dominated his life. A constant desire to learn, improve and compete, had taken him to the top of his profession with his induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. At the same time; his wife shared twenty years on the road, a dozen moves, certainty and uncertainty.

In a true testament to his character, Coach Humphrey decided it was time to walk away from the sport and put his family first. The Humphrey family decided to put down roots in the Indianapolis area in 1992. To provide security and stability for his family, Jim took a job selling medical equipment and took two steps back from wrestling.

Humphrey did not look back at his decision to walk away with regret, he was driven to be the best husband and father he could. As the boys grew up, wrestling was not even discussed with hockey being the sport they loved. "They didn't know much about my wrestling. We didn't have trophies and pictures at the house, so they knew very little about my success." While Humphrey hoped his boys would someday opt for his sport of choice, he allowed them choose their own paths, "It was important for me that they choose wrestling. I know how hard it is, you can't do it for your father or grandfather; you have to wrestle for yourself."

Both boys were raised on the Buckeyes despite their early travels and school years spent in the heart of Hoosier land. Jim was inducted into the Ohio State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997. With season football tickets in the family, game day became a family affair. "I remember the boys being down on the field after we beat Michigan in 2002 to go to the Fiesta Bowl. It was one of the greatest times of their life." Like their father and mother, both boys were Buckeyes for life.

Jordin was the first to make the choice when he started wrestling in junior high to be with his friends. Like many little brothers, Reece followed in his footsteps as a sixth grader. While dad wasn't an expert on hockey he was glad to offer his knowledge and support when asked for help with wrestling. Careful not to push too hard or step on anyone's toes, the coach was reborn as the fire had never been extinguished.

When Jordin was a freshman at Lawrence North High School, Jim began assisting at their practices. Out of respect, he maintained his distance and assisted as he could, but by the end of the year he was invited to work with everyone on the team. With each year, he became more involved and the team became more successful.

After finishing his senior season second at state, Jordin was named the team MVP and headed to Ohio State to wrestle. While Jordin has yet to crack the lineup, he has been a valuable contributor in the wrestling room and in the classroom. When given the opportunity, Jordin went back to Lawrence North whenever possible to help out the coaches and his old teammates. Pay it forward, a lesson learned from his father and appreciated by his younger brother.

It wasn't long before Coach Humphrey was approached by Coach Hellickson about the possibility of coming back to Ohio State. As the Buckeyes finished the season strong with a fourth place finish at the NCAA tournament, Jim committed to stay at Lawrence North to see his youngest son finish his high school career. Reece made his father proud winning three consecutive individual state championships, 137 matches in a row, while leading Lawrence North to Team State Championships his junior and senior seasons.

When asked to reflect on his high school coaching experience, Humphrey beams with pride. "It was one of the most gratifying things I have ever done, but also one of the hardest. It can be a real challenge to balance the role between a father and a coach. You have to know when to push and you have to know when to give a hug."

While Jim and Reece arrived in Columbus the same season, it was not a package deal. Reece was one of the most sought after recruits in the country. With both boys Buckeyes, Jim Humphrey had an easy decision when offered a position on the coaching staff. "I came to help wherever I could help. I am committed to this program; I wrestled here, I met my wife here, I coached here for four years after graduation, I sent both of my sons here, and I am happy to be here now." Reece lived up to his resume and cracked the starting lineup, qualifying for the NCAA tournament as a true freshman this past season.

When Coach Hellickson retired, Jim Humphrey was caught in coaching limbo. While he regretted seeing his old friend step aside, he wanted to stay involved with the program. Tom Ryan did not want Humphrey to get away and asked the veteran coach to lead Thee Buckeye Wrestling Club. With the opportunity extended, Coach Humphrey plans to be a part of the program for a long time to come.

"We have the core to be National Championship contenders on the NCAA level in the next four years." On the senior level, "we believe we will have an Olympic caliber wrestler in each weight class. It is a great time to be a Buckeye and it is great to be a part of the program we are building."

Humphrey has enjoyed coaching his children, but like an empty nester is preparing to let them go. "Change is good and the new staff has a tremendous amount of experience and talent. Lou Rosselli and Joe Heskett are going to help take our lightweights to the next level. Jordin and Reece will definitely benefit from the Tom Ryan experience." If you ask the boys, they will both admit they have benefited from the Jim Humphrey experience. Reece is quick to recognize his career has been guided by "one of the best technicians in the world," but we won't hesitate to tell you that technician is also "one of the most supportive and encouraging people in the world."

On Father's Day it is important to look at the good things in life. Jim Humphrey is a special man. There are a lot of successful people in this world, but there are not as many successful fathers. While he loves his own children, he loves each team like they are his own. The skills that made Jim Humphrey a great coach, make him a great father. Sacrifice comes at a cost, but it also offers its own rewards. Hard work and determination made Jim Humphrey a Hall of Fame wrestler and coach. Humphrey's commitment to his alma mater has made him a Buckeye Hall of Famer, but his commitment to his family makes him a Father's Day Hall of Famer.