WC's Jordan overcomes obstacles to excel on the court

By Rick Mauch

Courtesy Weatherford College

Any time he needs inspiration, all D.J. Jordan has to do is glance at his arm.

There, he sees a tattoo of his grandmother, and her words come back to him.

"She always told me to be like myself and not anyone else," he said. "I was the last person she saw before she died.

She was happy I signed with Weatherford College. She told me to make it for her."

Jordan is a freshman guard for the Coyotes. He had aspirations of playing at a major college right out of high school at Wichita Falls, but those received a setback.

In fact, in an instant, Jordan thought his dream was over.

All the hard work, all the effort, gone in a few moments.

The 18-year-old WC freshman vividly remembers every second from that fateful night in the locker room during his senior season at Wichita Falls High School.

It was after a game against Burkburnett, a heated contest on and off the court. Then, as he was preparing to get dressed after the game, he said someone sneaked into the locker room with other plans.

"There was a whole lot of tension after the game," Jordan said. "Then, this dude charged at me. I didn't know what to do."

The fight was over as quickly as it had begun. But Jordan's hopes of playing major college ball directly out of high school were severely damaged.

He received a partial suspension for his actions. He stopped receiving calls from college coaches, calls that they wanted him to play, that is.

"I had all sorts of coaches call me to say they were not interested anymore," Jordan said. "I couldn't work out or anything.

"I went up to the East Side YMCA and worked out."

It was at the East Side Y that he found some inspiration from former Miami Dolphin Ronnie Williams, who now runs the YMCA facility.

"He was my football coach when I was 9," Jordan said. "Then, when he started running the YMCA, he and I got close."

Williams encouraged Jordan to endure his suspension, and return and work as hard as he could to show he'd learned a lesson.

He did just that. Despite missing several games, he earned all-district honors and helped Wichita Falls to its third playoff appearance in four years (he was on varsity as a freshman).

But it still wasn't enough to get the big-time coaches calling again.

It did, however, draw the attention of Weatherford College. Jordan liked what he saw at WC, and so he became a Coyote.

"Weatherford College gave me a chance," he said. "I'm surrounded by nothing but good people here."

The locker room fight was one of many challenges Jordan has had to overcome. He grew up in a part of Wichita Falls that subjected him to gangs and violence.

He turned to basketball to escape what he admitted was temptation.

"Growing up in Wichita is really hard, especially growing up on the side of town that I did," he said. "I always tried to keep myself isolated from that. I was always in the gym or doing my homework, or asleep.

"There'd be times I'd go to a party and there'd be gang members there. I would ask myself, do I just go ahead and join and not have to worry about watching my back? But I never did."

During the recent Christmas break, Jordan returned to Wichita Falls. He visited with Williams and missed his grandma.

And he spent a little time working with youngsters at the East Side Y, something he'd like to do more of when his playing days are done.

"My two little brothers and cousins look up to me," he said. "So it's not just me I'm trying to build a future for."

Jordan is majoring in business, and he'd like to own his own business someday.

"My dad, mom, everybody has told me education comes first," Jordan said.

Jordan also got some help from Wichita Falls girls coach Joe Golding. He said the coach continued to believe in him, even after the locker room incident.

"He put his neck out and spoke for me," said Jordan.

Bigger colleges are starting to show an interest in Jordan again. He's undecided about whether he'll return to Weatherford College for his sophomore season or move on.

"At the end of the day I'll sit down, talk to Ronnie, my high school coach, my brother, my dad, and say a little prayer to grandma," he said.

"Whatever happens, though, it's going to be good. I'm in a good place now.

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