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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 1983)
Sports Injuries take Hildebrand on long, difficult journey By Stove Turcotte Of Ik* Emerald Any athletes you talk to will almost cer tainly have a tale or two about their athletic endeavors. But if you were to talk with Oregon wrestler Jim Hildebrand, his tales would read like a medical Journal and trip travel log rolled Into one. Hildebrand, who wrestles at 150 pounds and is a fifth-year senior on the Duck squad, has had more than his share of Injuries. Hildebrand has undergo four major opera tions in eight years — two on his right shoulder, one on his left shoulder and also a knee operation. His injuries have led to his dropping out of school three times and venturing back to his home in Watsonville, Calif. "It’s amazing I’m still In one piece," laughed Hildebrand when recalling the numerous Injuries he’s endured. “But right now I feel good.” _ his life began. In April, following the surgery, Hildebrand’s father died and he went home to help the family out with its trucking business. But soon after leaving school, Hildebrand began to wrestle again. “I came back in 1980 after redshirting my sophomore year and my left shoulder started bothering me,” Hildebrand said. “I was starting to feel really bummed out — I just packed up and left halfway through the first term.” So back to the family business he went and apparently his interest in wrestling had fizzled. But after wrestling in a tournament in the spring of 1981, Hildebrand’s interest in the sport was rekindled after he won all his 10 matches and won the tournament. He headed back to Oregon in the fall ready to wrestle for coach Ron Finley. But again ran into problems. “My head wasn’t into it," Hildebrand ad mitted. “I just wasn’t feeling really strong and I wasn’t in aood shana I Hildebrand came to Oregon in the fall of 1978 with glowing high school creden tials. He placed fourth in the California state high school wrestling meet his junior year and racked up a 43-0 record his senior season before dropping his initial match at the state tournament. “That loss at state my senior year still haunts me," admits Hildebrand. “I was ex pected to win It all and I didn’t. I think losing that match has “Everytime I come back from an injury it’s like starting over. You have your shoulder in a sling for three months and you lose everything. It takes a lot to come back from injuries.” went home In the winter and came back in the spring and started wrestling with some of the guys on the team.” Last fall, after working all summer in the family business, Hildebrand con templated returning to wrestle for a fifth and final season. But when Finley called and said that he really wanted him, Hildebrand packed his bags and headed back to the Emerald City. “We called him up this Hildebrand had begun to find the right ingredients to becoming a successful Pac-10 wrestler his freshman year. He finish ed fourth in the conference tournament and the signs were ail pointed in the right direction. Hildebrand appeared to be a shoe-in for a starting spot on the Duck roster his sophomore season, but injuries knocked him out. During a practice session, Hildebrand suffered a dislocated shoulder which re quired surgery. “It was my right shoulder that got hurt," he explained. “It was a shoulder which ! had already had operated on. When I first had it operated on in high school, the doctor told me that if I ever hurt it again, i would have to give up wrestling. “But the doctors up here did a good job and said I would be able to continue wrestling.” That was when the travel log portion of ■toi uwameuar ana saia, 'come on back up, we need you," said Finley. “He dropped everything and came back up to wrestle." Hildebrand has not been a disappoint ment in his return to Oregon. He has posted a 10-1 record this season, with the lone loss coming in a tournament at Portland State. Hildebrand will be the first to admit that although he has come and gone a few times, wrestling has always been his first love. “Wrestling has always been in the back of my mind whenever I have gotten injured or have gone home. I have wrestled since the seventh grade and wrestling is something that is really hard to let go of for me." But coming back into the wrestling groove after a long time off has not been the easiest of times for Hildebrand. “Everytime I come back from an Injury it’s like starting over,” admitted Hildebrand. “You have your shoulder in a sling for three months and you lose everything. It takes a lot to come back from injuries." (f Medical School Scholarship *Tuition *Required Fees and Books ‘Stipend Call or Write Ralph Wintheiser 1220 SW 3rd, Rm G-ll Portland, Oregon 97204 (503)223-3993 A yfot mov O* :^|fi Rentals! Downhill or Cross Country ... or aa includes skis, boots, poles just D«UU per day And ask about the SKI BUS TO HOODOO Reduced Rate s7.50! leaving Berg’s on Wed., Sat. & Sun. featuring Deluxe Traiiways Busses! Your Ski Headquarters for 25 years. 13th G Lawrence Street 683 1300 Hours: Mon-Thors 10-6 Fri 6 Sat 10-9 , jS&._ LIAijj 446 E. 13th • 342-8339 GET READY FOR VALENTINES DAY! Great Cards: Gifts for the Love In Your Life! r'' \ c'> yi? 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