Newark Catholic 8th-grader has taken long road to mat

• J.J. Snider had a tumor removed from near his brain stem before his kindergarten year.
• Snider has 10 wins this winter for the Newark Catholic middle school team as a first-year wrestler.

NEWARK – J.J. Snider's teammates beat on him in practice, but they are quick to point out Snider delivers his share of shots, too.

As a first-year wrestler, J.J. — an eighth-grader — leaves Newark Catholic each day with the bumps and bruises that come from being a newbie. But he keeps coming back for more.

"He had a lot of growing pains, just the physicality and toughness of the sport is a lot to take in," coach Mark Gillham said. "He has really developed a lot from that first practice, just learning the basics, learning a stance, and learning how to move and how to act on the mat."

It is a fighting spirit that has served J.J. well since a young age. Any pain he experiences on the mat is nothing he cannot handle.

The summer before kindergarten, J.J. had a tumor removed from near his brain stem. Months of radiation and chemotherapy followed. Mike Snider, J.J.'s father, said his son's oncologist told the family J.J. might never ride a bike.

Eight years later, the only evidence of his plight are the growth hormones he regularly takes and an annual MRI. After years of searching for his sport, he has found a home on the mat.

"I did Upward basketball, and I was thinking about doing Newark Catholic basketball," J.J. said. "I figured I wouldn't be that good if I went from just doing Upward, and then I remembered doing wrestling when I was little. My aunt told me I would be good at wrestling, so I decided to try it."

Mike Snider said because of the need for the growth hormones, J.J.'s torso does not grow at a normal rate, but his arms and legs do. His reach has served him well on the mat. He has won 10 matches this winter competing at 128 pounds.

"He has taken all of the moves we have put in and started trying to work those into matches and practices," Gillham said. "To go out and get as many victories as he has had being a first-year wrestler, it is a fantastic accomplishment."

J.J. will drop to 120 for Saturday's Ohio Athletic Committee district tournament at Nelsonville-York.

"He has had to work pretty hard to get most of the technique down," said classmate Billy Luft, who began wrestling several years ago in NC's biddy program and has become a bit of a mentor on the mat.

"He is a really hard worker, and that is what has helped get most of his wins. Working with him every day, he eventually picks up on everything after repetition."

It is no surprise J.J. has been a fast learner on the mat. Doctors warned J.J.'s parents he might develop learning disabilities. Instead, he is an Honor Roll student.

"Considering it is first year, he is doing amazing," said classmate Noah Campbell, who started wrestling a couple of years ago. "When I was a first-year wrestler, I don't think I even got a single win."

J.J's family knows his continued good health is a blessing. Expectations initially were set low, but Mike Snider said his wife and J.J's five siblings quickly realized to never put a ceiling on what J.J. can accomplish.

"Anything they told us he couldn't do, he is excelling and going past it," Mike said.

For his teammates, it is a short-term perspective. J.J. is just another kid on the mat trying to help the Green Wave compete for team championships.

Is he somebody to look up to?

"Not really," J.J. said.

And, that is quite all right.

ksnyder@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8556

Twitter: @newarkurt