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Watch more video of 2011 World Championships on flowrestling.org
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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Brandon Brindley is a bit of a retro guy.
No Playstation 360 or Xbox for him. He’s quite happy with the Nintendo 64 he picked up for about $30 at a flea market in Gardendale.
He’s retro in his music too, opting for The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Led Zeppelin.
And he believes in the old-fashioned benefit of preparation, that practice makes you better. That’s what made the just-completed wrestling season tough.
An ankle injury three weeks before sectionals made practice matches a no-no even as competition promised to become more stiff. While not practicing was tough, the matches proved not to be.
The Birmingham News’ 2011 Metro Wrestler of the Year adjusted his game and completed a 51-0 record in Class 5A 140 pounds to notch his third state championship in four years, including one as an eighth grader.
As the season moved toward its end, Brindley could only watch as Mortimer Jordan High School teammates tussled in practice. He especially missed the latter part of those practices, when the final seven members of the squad had their most intense battles.
“It bothered me, especially at the end of the season when you need to be practicing hard,” he said. “I would go up to the gym two days a week and ride the elliptical and the treadmill just to keep my cardio up. It wasn’t very fun.”
The shooting pain in his injured ankle was enough to take him to his knees, Brindley recalled. That meant that he couldn’t do several of the tactics that he might have.
“I couldn’t do almost anything,” he said. “I couldn’t do high crotches, couldn’t do double legs, I couldn’t wrestle on top, especially couldn’t wrestle on the bottom.”
He could do a sweep single, which is his favorite maneuver. “But I still had to change up how I did it,” Brindley said. “It hurt. I was very limited what I could do.”
Blue Devils coach Terry Tingle said Brindley is often misunderstood.
“People think sometimes he’s a cocky little jerk because on the mat he is very aggressive and he goes right up until the whistle,” Tingle said. “Sometimes that looks bad when he’s wrestling a guy he way out-mans and coaches think he’s pushing it past the limit.”
Brindley said he’s simply wrestling the way he was taught, to go until the whistle.
“Wrestling is a fight with rules,” he said. “You go out there and beat your guy until he’s crying or he doesn’t want to wrestle you again. That’s how I’ve been taught to wrestle since I was tiny and that’s the only way I know how to wrestle. That’s how I am.”
MEET BRANDON BRINDLEY
Birmingham News 2011 Metro Wrestler of the Year
>TEAM: Mortimer Jordan
>YEAR: Junior
> HT/ WT: 5-4/140
>RECORD: 51-0
> FAVORITE ALL-TIME ATHLETE
Cael Norman Sanderson, who was undefeated throughout his college career in winning four NCAA wrestling titles at Iowa State, He won an Olympic gold medal in 2004 and Saturday coached Penn State to a national championship.
> FAVORITE PRO TEAM
Los Angeles Lakers
> FAVORITE COLLEGE TEAM
If you’re talking about wrestling, Iowa. If you’re talking about football, Alabama. That’s about as far as it goes.
> FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL
History. It’s always interested me.
> FAVORITE COLOR
Baby blue. Like North Carolina blue. That’s where I’m from. I was born in Asheville but that has nothing to do with why I like the color.
> FAVORITE FOOD
Hamburger Helper. I just love it. Four Cheese Lasagna.
> FAVORITE DESSERT
Vanilla ice cream, melt some peanut butter, throw it on top and then chocolate syrup on top also.
> FAVORITE SONG TO PLAY ON GUITAR
“What I Got” by Sublime. That’s one of my favorite bands.
> FAVORITE WRESTLING MEMORY
Placing at nationals last summer in Greco at 130 pounds in North Dakota.
AWC is proud of our partnership with Oak Mountain Middle School and their repeat championship this year. Let the dynasty continue!



Wrestling develops self-confidence, discipline, respect, sportsmanship, and character. It also greatly enhances agility, balance, quickness, conditioning, and mental toughness for all sports, especially football.
Registration for grades K-12 will be on Tuesday October 26 from 6 - 8 pm at Oak Mountain High School in the wrestling building behind the school near the baseball field.
We are currently practicing for the upcoming season. You are welcome to join us now and get a head start on training. Come to our practices anytime and see how fun and exciting wrestling is. Our schedule is Sunday 2-4 pm and Monday through Thursday 6:30 - 8:00 pm.
AWC won every youth division at the 2010 Alabama State Championship so you will be learning from and training with the very best and having fun at the same time.
Please call Coach Rod Gaddy at (205) 937-6559 for more information.
Service Award from USA Wrestling
As he often does, Rod traveled this week to the Olympic Training Center to learn as much as he can about wrestling to bring it back to teach his wrestlers in the State of Alabama. On the heels his nomination for Chairman of the Year and because of his ongoing contributions to wrestling on a state and national level, Rod was presented with a Service Award from USA Wrestling during his trip.
"...
Your commitment to the mission and goals of USA Wrestling have been steadfast and unwavering. The leadership that you have provided over the years has played a vital role in the successes achieved by our athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, and fans.
Organizations such a USAW succeed because of individuals like you who have a desire to see the sport achieve new heights and set new goals. It is leaders such as you, who are dedicated to sound principles, a vision for wrestling and have been able to help the sport thrive, no matter the circumstances or the issue at hand.
...
Rich Bender
Executive Director"Congratulations Rod, this was well deserved. No one has done more to improve the level of competition in the State of Alabama.
Rod with Marge Civil USAW State Services.
USA Wrestling Chairperson of the Year


AWC and Oak Mountain Wrestling have united to create a wrestling dynasty. Both AWC and Oak Mountain recognize the distinct advantage we will provide one another. Already having one of the top Middle School and High School programs in Alabama, Oak Mountain will now have the benefit of THE premier youth wrestling club, AWC, at their disposal feeding talent into their school system.
The new practice location will be at Oak Mountain High School which is perfectly situated to serve the entire Birmingham community and in particular the previously untapped Oak Mountain community.
The practice schedule remains the same: Sunday 2-4 and Monday - Thursday 6:30-8:00 pm. Practice resumes Monday September 13.
All Alabama wrestlers are welcome to discover why AWC produces the most dominant wrestlers in the state. AWC Wrestlers travel from as close as Vestavia and far away as Oxford to take their wrestling to the next level.
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