Football: Russell Tough In The Trenches For West Fork

STAFF PHOTO PAUL BOYD Austin Russell, West Fork senior, has battled back from two significant injuries and will anchor the Tigers’ offensive and defensive lines this season.
STAFF PHOTO PAUL BOYD Austin Russell, West Fork senior, has battled back from two significant injuries and will anchor the Tigers’ offensive and defensive lines this season.

WEST FORK -- Austin Russell refuses to let injuries slow him down.

The 5-foot-10, 225-pound senior battled through both shoulder and knee injuries over the past couple of years. But he's continued to progress both on the football field and in the weight room for West Fork.

2014 West Fork Tigers Schedule

Sept. 5^Gentry

Sept. 12^at Berryville

Sept. 19^at Prairie Grove

Sept. 26^Mountain View*

Oct. 3^at Marshall*

Oct. 10^Cedarville*

Oct. 17^at Yellville-Summit*

Oct. 24^at Elkins*

Oct. 31^Green Forest*

Nov. 7^Greenland*

*denotes 3A-1 Conference games.

All games begin at 7 p.m.

"The most impressive thing is for him to improve his lifts coming from a surgery on his upper body and his lower body," West Fork coach Brad Lindley said. "That's just a credit to how hard he works."

Russell has added 20 pounds in the offseason and now power cleans 260 pounds and squats 405.

Lindley said that added strength translates well to the football field.

"He's the perfect example of taking what you gained in the weight room with him to the football field, Lindley said. "He's a pulling guard and he uses all of that 260-pound power clean to kick out and block."

Russell acknowledged working through the injuries were difficult, but football is something he enjoys.

"I just love to go out there and compete and hit somebody," Russell said. "It's something I loved since I was a little kid. It's been hard at times, but I'm pretty strong at things like that. It hurts, but I'm going to just push through the best I can."

He suffered a rotator cuff injury, which required surgery before his junior year. He went under the knife again following last football season to repair a torn meniscus and medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

Lindley sees him as a potential all-conference player as he won't come off the field much this season for the Tigers.

"He was already a good football player at 205 pounds, but his added weight and strength just gives him another dimension," Lindley said.

Russell also understands the game of football well and being a two-way starter helps, Lindley said.

"He's played guard, but he also plays defensive tackle," Lindley said. "And because of that experience on offense, he knows what that guard is trying to do to him. It makes him a better player on defense."

Russell doesn't have a preference of playing offense or defense. It's a good thing since he doesn't have a choice. He plays both. But that's something he welcomes.

"I love it, never came off the field much last year," Russell said.

Lindley couldn't choose which side of the ball he's better at or most valuable.

"He plays a very important role in our success on both sides of the ball," Lindley said.

As a senior, Russell understands he will be counted on to be more of a team leader this season and he's prepared for that role. He's watched and learned from others in the past and just want to keep West Fork's winning tradition going.

"Nothing has really changed," Russell said. "We have good leaders, too. We may be a little smaller. I looked up to guys like Wyatt Montgomery and Kallin Stokes. It's just kind of handed off to the next guys. They were both great examples and great leaders. I just hope I can be like that, too."

Lindley said West Fork's football tradition started in the weight room, which has translated to success on the field. Russell is a perfect sample of that tradition.

"Austin's a guy we will use as an example to the younger ones," Lindley said. "He started out undersized and not very strong and look what he's progressed to. All the guys want their name on the board in our weight room and want to be stronger than the last guy.

"There's no doubt that our strongest and hardest working teams in the weight room were also successful on the field."

Sports on 08/22/2014

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