J.D. Rogers, a 17-year-old senior at Toombs County High, knew from an early age that he wanted to wrestle. His father had wrestled in high school and had even done a little coaching in the sport. As a youngster, Rogers was exposed to wrestling constantly – he saw his father’s awards, watched wrestling tournaments on TV, heard the old stories of his father’s exploits on the mat. “I learned to love the sport from him,” recalls Rogers.
Rogers’s wrestling career began in USA Wrestling when he was just four years old. By the time he reached high school, Rogers was a seasoned veteran with state and national titles on his palmares. He took that experience and used it to forge an impressive wrestling career at Toombs County High. “With experience comes solid technique. J.D. is a technician and he can win in a variety of ways. He has a lot of Greco-Roman experience, so he can go up top and make something happen. That makes him very dangerous. He has tremendous upper body strength,” says his coach, Bradley Benton.
The reason Rogers has all that experience is because, quite simply, he loves to wrestle. He also plays a little football and tennis at Toombs County, but there is nowhere he’d rather be than on the wrestling mat. He respects the sport and its traditions and as such strives to always do his best. And his best is pretty good. “I like the man versus man aspect of wrestling. There is no team with you on the mat. It’s you against your opponent. You’re out to beat him and he’s out to beat you. The best man wins,” says Rogers.
Throughout his career, Rogers has been the best man most of the time. He has won the AAU National Championships, Dixie Nationals, Post-Season Nationals, two Folkstyle state championships, two Freestyle state championships, two Greco-Roman state championships, and the Triple Crown once – Folkstyle, Freestyle, and Greco-Roman titles in the same year (2007).
Rogers, who now wrestles in the 195-pound class, has accomplished the goals he set for his high school career as a freshman. Heading into his first high school season four years ago, Rogers wanted to make the varsity team first and foremost (he did). From there, he wanted to win team Area championships in Duals and Traditional formats, which his Bulldogs did in 2011 and 2012. This year, they have won Duals; at the time of this writing, Traditional hadn’t been held yet.
Rogers does not, however, have an individual state championship at Toombs County. He has come close. Last year, he advanced to the semifinals but lost in a controversial match that kept him out of the finals. He finished the season fourth in the state. Toombs County hasn’t won a team title, either. The Bulldogs were fourth during Rogers’s freshman year, eighth his sophomore year, and third last year. At the time of this interview, Rogers had finished the regular season and was training for Area. He went through the season with just four losses and was in good position to have a solid post-season. “The key is not to get overconfident or cocky. You have to keep your head on straight and work hard. When you step on the mat, it’s time to go to work,” he says.
Heading into the postseason, Benton is pleased with where Rogers is. “He has gone toe to toe in every match he’s wrestled this year. When I came to Toombs, I wanted to tap into his talent. I wanted him in the 195-p
ound class. He had to get strong enough to compete in that class. Now, he’s physically and mentally ready to go into a state tournament and win it,” says Benton.
Throughout his career, Rogers has been recognized for his hard work, community service, and character. Benton has won the Coach Parks Athlete Award from Dodge County High School, which is awarded in memory of Dodge County coach Rickey Parks to a Georgia athlete who exemplifies excellence and leadership in athletics and academics, and the Class AA State Good Character Award in football as a sophomore. He is also an excellent musician (he plays saxophone) and he’s played onstage with the Swingin’ Medallions. “I’m well rounded in a number of activities. I love my God, my country, my family, and my sport,” he says.
Several different colleges are in pursuit of Rogers as he winds up his senior year. He has offers to wrestle from schools throughout the country. Right now, though, he has his sights set a little closer to home. Among the school vying for his attention is Brewton-Parker College in nearby Mount Vernon. “I haven’t decided yet but I really like Brewton-Parker,” he says.
The 2013-2014 wrestling season has been a particularly poignant one for J.D. Rogers. He dedicated the season to the memory of his grandparents and a former coach, Brad Bell. He lost his maternal grandfather to cancer and both his maternal grandmother and Bell in automobile accidents. Rogers feels their presence when he’s on the mat and does his best to honor their memory. “I know they are proud and they watch every one of our matches,” he says.
Favorites:
• Subject: Calculus
• College Team: Penn State (Wrestling), Auburn (Football)
• College Player: Quinton Wright (Penn State), Tre Mason (Auburn)
• Pro Team: Denver Broncos
• Pro Player: Knowshon Moreno
• Who would you most like to meet? Jordan Burroughs and Jake Varner (Olympic gold medalists)
• What sport do you wish you could play? Lacrosse/rugby
• Where would you like to travel? Brazil
• If you could have a superpower what would it be? Flying
• Who is you inspiration? My dad. He is my best friend and he and my mom have given up a lot for me to pursue my dreams in wrestling.
Player Spotlight/Coastal Edition/March2014
J.D. Rogers
Toombs County High School
Lyons, Georgia
Robert Preston Jr.
Toombs County senior turns love of wrestling into impressive high school career
