Brock Henderson atop the IHSAA podium after winning the 2016 state title for North Linn High School .
has always been confident he could go with anyone ,” Larry says . “ I ’ m not sure where he got that from . It ’ s something that some kids just have , not really something that you can coach .”
In his senior season , Henderson , on the advice of his coach Brad Bridgewater , will look to add additional strength and muscle to wrestle at 120 in order to better prepare himself for the lowest college wrestling weight class at 125 . Along with his father , Bridgewater has been one of Henderson ’ s most important wrestling mentors . Both are heavily involved in the local club wrestling scene , so Brock and his coach have known each other since Brock was a young boy . Bridgewater is a math and science teacher at North Linn Middle School as well , so he ’ s had the pleasure of knowing Brock as a student , a wrestling novice , and now a state champion . Brock tells me with a modicum of hesitation that Bridgewater is an outstanding teacher with just one flaw : “ I think some days he does more watching wrestling during class than teaching ,” Henderson admits . “ We ’ d go up to him and ask a question , and he ’ d always help , but he ’ d be up there watching wrestling videos on his computer .” Bridgewater has been a hugely important influence on Brock ’ s wrestling philosophy as well . According to Henderson , one of his coach ’ s signature motivational quotes would ring in his head before each match at the 2016 state tournament — a dismissal of long-term goals in favor of in-the-moment focus that coaches are known for : “ These [ bracket ] lines don ’ t mean anything ,” he ’ d say . “ The only lines that matter are the ones you step on out there on the mat .” With Bridgewater and Larry Henderson in his corner , Brock tells me that he didn ’ t feel any nerves during the state tournament . Having come up short in 2014 and 2015 ,
14