Jordan Learns His Lessons Well Nic Athlete Finds His Way To A Better Life On A Wrestling Mat
The youngest of 11 children, Orlando Jordan has never seen his father.
Jordan admittedly learned more wrong than right growing up on the tough streets of New York and Virginia.
Much of the right, Jordan has learned thousands of miles across the country at North Idaho College under the guidance of Cardinals wrestling coach John Owen.
Jordan, nicknamed ‘O’ as a child by his brothers, also brings out the father in Owen.
“We’ve had a few disagreements,” Jordan said of Owen’s advice. “I realize since I’ve been here it’s helped me out. I may not agree with his decision, but I look back afterward and realize I made the right decision by listening to him.
“I came here and learned a lot,” the 21-year-old added. “I’ve learned a lot about life.”
Wrestling took Jordan off the streets as a high school freshman in Brooklyn.
His single-parent mother moved the family to Richmond, Va., his sophomore year. As a senior in 1993, Jordan won a state wrestling title at 189 pounds and compiled a 3-year, 81-9 career record.
“I started wrestling to find a way to make it somehow … moving … I mean I was in the East Coast,” Jordan explained. “I needed something to keep me out of trouble. Growing up, I did a lot of things on the streets.”
A connection between Owen and Jordan’s high school coach Tim Donhaue led Jordan west for the first time three years ago.
The 6-foot-3 Jordan was recruited to replace the Cardinals’ 190-pound NJCAA All-American Shane Cass off the school’s last national championship team in 1993.
Jordan wrestled eight matches for NIC as a freshman, then red-shirted last year.
Now, he is one of nine new starters for the Cardinals, currently the nation’s top-ranked team. NIC (4-0) takes a 43-match win streak into tonight’s home dual with Clackamas (Ore.) College at 7:30 p.m.
“(Jordan’s) progress is really good,” Owen said. “I’m very fortunate to have Orlando Jordan in this program. His weight is perfect. He’s a good team guy. He’s a very big part of this; we built this (team).”
The lanky Jordan scored four takedowns and piled up a remarkable 4-1/2 minutes of riding time in a 13-3 major decision over Wayne Carlson of Yakima Valley on Tuesday night. The win hiked Jordan’s record to 11-4.
Earlier Tuesday morning, Jordan and Owen analyzed a video of Jordan at the Las Vegas Open two weeks ago.
“This shot has got to come out of your repertoire,” Owen said. “See your back leg, you have no power; you get the front head lock in there, you know how that is … you’re going to get caught.”
Owen gave each starter a list of three or four areas to improve on based on these videos.
“Whenever he does that, I try to take a little bit and go out there and work on my body position, and staying solid, a good stance and having a steady pace,” Jordan said following the match. “I think I maintained my pace.”
Former NJCAA and NAIA All-American wrestler Pat Whitcomb, current Lake City High School coach, approves of Jordan’s effort. Jordan is a regular practice partner for Whitcomb as Whitcomb pursue a berth in the 1996 Olympic Trials.
“He takes real good shots,” Whitcomb said. “He’s gotten a lot stronger. He’s gotten real physical. What’s nice about Orlando is you have to be quick to keep up with him, but he’s strong like a 220-pounder. You can’t go out and overpower him.”
Whitcomb also recognizes All-America (top eight nationally) potential in Jordan. “Mentally, if he stays in it, I’m sure he will (be an All-American),” Whitcomb added. “He’s got an offense of a national champion and that’s what you need.”
Long arms have worked to Jordan’s advantage since he started wrestling. The double-leg takedown is his favorite move.
“(Jordan) does real well technically, his biggest problem is the mental,” Owen said. “He’s got (NCAA) Division I athleticism.
“I said, ‘Orlando, you have got to figure it out, you’re not a bad wrestler. So when you get out in that match and it’s 4-4 and you feel tired, you don’t let up!’ ” Owen continued.
“He’s a finesse wrestler. He’s not a brawler. He’s a little conservative. It fits his personality. His mom is a minister and he’s got a bunch of sisters.”
That might explain Jordan’s attraction to a music-related career and working with children.
The NJCAA championships are two months down the road in Bismarck, N.D. NIC can qualify with a top-four regional finish.
“By that time, I plan to be at my highest confidence level,” Jordan said. “I knew this year is my year. I knew what I have to do to get there. I’ll be there. I planned everything out, I don’t take things day by day.”
Neither does Owen.