Ruschell has wrestling 'in his blood'

by Marc Harden, NKY Enquirer   

Ryle High School's Ruschell family owes its rich wrestling legacy to a broken back.

"It's funny how things work out," said senior T.J. Ruschell, the third of three wrestling brothers for the Raiders' perennial state championship-contending program. "If my dad hadn't broke his back at work,

I wouldn't even be thinking about wrestling right now. I'd be thinking about going to college at UK and doing nothing but studying."

Ruschell, however, isn't going to the University of Kentucky. The defending 119-pound state champion is heading to the University of Wisconsin on a wrestling scholarship. He will join his brother, Kyle Ruschell, a two-time state champion who became just the third college wrestling All-American from Kentucky. Kyle, a 2010 Wisconsin graduate, is a Badgers assistant. He joined in the coaching ranks his father, who has guided Ryle to seven consecutive regional titles.

"At the time, I thought breaking my back was the worst thing that could happen," coach Ruschell said.  "But I wanted to make a positive out of a negative and I eventually got on my feet, switched careers, and now I'm doing what I love doing."

As a result, wrestling has become the Ruschell's sporting love.

"I can't imagine not wrestling," said T.J., a 3.85 GPA student with a strong interest in math. "After college, I'd like to stay in it and teach math and get into coaching. I can totally see myself as a coach."

Such a scenario would make the Ruschell men 4-for-4 in becoming wrestling coaches. The oldest son, Keith Ruschell, is the Gray Middle School coach. It could have been an entirely different story. In 1990, Tim Ruschell suffered a back injury and had to quit his job. Over the next six years, he returned to college, became certified to teach and was hired as an instructor at Gray. He put his children into the school system.

In their first year, Keith struck up a fateful friendship with classmate Matt Peace, who was a wrestler. Peace told Keith to try out for the team. The next year, Kyle tried out for wrestling. Over the next few years, the brothers became teammates and friends with members of the Peace family. T.J. was in the fourth grade when he watched Kyle win his first state crown in 2004. A few years later, T.J. was on the team.

"T.J. always tagged along with me to practice and he was at all the meets rooting for his brothers," Tim Ruschell said. "The next thing I know, he's got a singlet. By now, wrestling's in his blood."

This year, the Ruschell and Peace family friendship is coming full-circle in the Ryle record books. T.J., with 190 wins, can pass Kyle (191) and move into second place on the school's career list at this weekend's Sycamore Invitational. He's on target to become the Raiders' all-time leader, passing Bryan Peace (205), Matt Peace's younger brother.

T.J. Ruschell, last season's Enquirer Northern Kentucky wrestler of the year, hopes to equal Kyle's feat of winning back-to-back titles at February's state meet in Frankfort. T.J. finished 55-3 as a junior. Last April, he wrestled for Team Kentucky at the Scholastic Duals at Wabash College. He has moved up to 126 pounds and entered the week with a record of 29-2, including 22 pins and individual titles at Ohio meets in Dayton and Bellbrook and this week's Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference championships. He is projected to wrestle at 149 or 157 pounds for Wisconsin.

The younger Ruschell said he's looking forward to the next leg in his journey on the mat. "I couldn’t have done it without my brothers and my dad," T.J. said. "I don't see myself ever giving up wrestling."

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