Over 24 years, Coach Rod Wortley has seen many of his athletes not only improve, but excel beyond what they ever imagined. Meet Judah Bruce

Coming out of high school, Judah Bruce showed great athleticism. He could easily grab the rim, he was quick and agile. His track & field resumé contained an interesting combination of high jump, long jump, discus and middle distance races.

The transition from being athletic to being a college athlete took some time. "I came into college with low confidence, low experience, and low muscle mass as well," Judah recalls, with a smile.

"The coaching I received from Coach Rod was beneficial for me because he did not allow me to take shortcuts. It was very meticulous, consistent, and fun."

"Judah gets all the credit for making it fun," says Wortley. "Based on weight, he was the smallest thrower on the team and he put in an incredible amount of work over four years to deadlift 435 pounds. Just as impressive, Judah became a student of the hammer throw and javelin - two extremely technical events that take years of patient and determined effort to master."

Every year, Judah  improved in the six throwing events in which he competed. His junior and senior seasons, Judah contributed points at the conference championships, scoring in the hammer and javelin with personal bests of 159' 9" and 174' 8".

"Rod and I had 2 completely different personalities, however, I often found myself in his office having great conversations," Judah says. "He was not just a coach, he was also a friend who would always go the extra mile to ensure that his athletes were set up for success."