THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 22, 1995 TAG: 9502220616
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
SOURCE: Paul White
STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
Three years ago, then-Green Run wrestling coach Jack Harcourt took one look at B.J. Franklin and saw a potential champion.
But it wasn't until a couple of months ago that Franklin was able to look into a mirror and see the same thing.
Turns out Harcourt was right all along.
Franklin, who had never even placed in the Beach District tournament before, upset top-seeded Joe Kerr, 10-6, to capture the 152-pound division Saturday at Green Run.
The victory propelled the senior into Thursday's Eastern Region wrestling tournament, and earned him The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star's Athlete of the Week award.
It also kept alive a high school wrestling career that began with so much promise but almost never got untracked.
Franklin, who began wrestling in seventh grade at Salem Junior High under current Tallwood assistant Dave Bridger, arrived at Green Run with more wrestling knowledge than most freshman and more athletic ability than many state champions.
``He was really something,'' Harcourt said.
So talented was Franklin that, even though the senior-dominated Stallions were about to embark on one of their finest seasons, Harcourt kept the freshman on the varsity.
``The first week of practice was called `Hell Week,' '' Franklin said. ``If you could last through the week, you made the team.
``I knew we had all these seniors, and my goal was just to get to where they were someday. At the end of the week, the coach was separating the guys into varsity and junior varsity, and I just went over with the junior varsity guys. That's when Coach said he was keeping me with the varsity.''
With so much talent in front of him, Franklin wrestled little that year. And the big breakthrough that was predicted for his sophomore year never materialized.
Wayne Gibson took over the following year, but Franklin continued to struggle.
``I think I let myself and the coaches down,'' Franklin said. ``I just slacked off.
``But this year, I knew it was my last chance. I just couldn't slack off anymore.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
by CNB