C.J. Asinger tumbled from his wheelchair at the edge of the wrestling mat and did a few somersaults to the center to start his match at 106 pounds during a boys and girls quad meet held at Ste. Genevieve High School on Jan. 26.
Born with spina bifida – a birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord don’t form properly –
Asinger is paralyzed from the knees down.
Despite his physical challenges,
Asinger landed a spot on the Herculaneum High School varsity wrestling squad this season, after a year on the junior varsity team.
His match at the quad last week ended after 35 seconds, when Ste. Genevieve freshman Gage Gross pinned Asinger, a sophomore at Herculaneum High.
It was just one of the team’s losses to the Ste. Genevieve Dragons, who mauled the Blackcats 84-0 on the boys side at the quad, winning every match by fall or forfeit.
If you’re wondering how someone who can’t stand on his feet can compete in a sport as physically demanding as wrestling, it was always in Asinger’s blood. His father, Chris Asinger, and uncles, Joe and Matt Asinger, all wrestled at Windsor in the 1990s. Joe was a state qualifier.
“We’ve always talked about wrestling as a family for big get-togethers,” Chris said. “He always said he wanted to wrestle. As a kid, he’d wrestle around with me and I told him if he controlled the wrist, he could control the body.”
When Asinger’s matches begin, he starts by kneeling on the mat with his hand on the line in the center of the mat, with his opponent standing.
Since Asinger has to use his upper body to get in and out of his chair, he is very strong for someone who weighs about 100 pounds.
“I’m independent and active so I thought I could do this,” C.J. said. “I feel I have the same activity as the other wrestlers, but with less an advantage. If I get leverage, I’m strong enough to flip them over.”
Asinger, who turns 16 this month, also competes in his wheelchair during track and field in the spring, and he’s a Boy Scout who’s aiming to be an Eagle Scout.
His mother, Nichole Asinger, found out at 24 weeks that C.J. had an 8-by-8-inch hole in his back. He had surgery right after birth to close the hole.
“There were a lot of unknowns,” Nichole said. “We didn’t know how extensive the damage was throughout his back. We knew he wouldn’t be able to walk.”
In seventh grade, C.J. told his parents he wanted to wrestle.
“Of course, I was nervous,” Nichole said. “Yes, I was very scared he would get hurt. There’s a lot of injuries in wrestling. You could get paralyzed. He’s like, ‘I’m already paralyzed, mom.’”
Seeing how dedicated he was to wrestling, Nichole said she gave in and after C.J. got his share of bloody noses, black eyes and fat lips, she was his biggest fan.
“Even though he has a disability we’ve raised him to know he can do anything he wants to,” she said. “Sometimes there’s a modification that needs to be made and we figure it out so he can be his own independent man so he can do what he wants.”
C.J. has about a .500 record, but win or lose, Chris said watching his son try his hardest makes the bumps and bruises worth it.
“He has fun and does the best he can,” Chris said. “Wrestling uses 100 percent of your body. He doesn’t have 100 percent of his body, but he gives 100 percent of his time. There is a mental side of wrestling. You’re one-on-one out there.”
C.J. said he’s noticed opponents give him a puzzled look as they step on the mat. Once the match starts, the mystery about Asinger’s ability goes away.
“I feel like sometimes kids try to go easy on me, and then we start (wrestling) and they’re like, ‘Oh, he’s actually strong,’” C.J. said.
Cody Hunter is the head coach of football, wrestling and boys and girls track and field at Herculaneum High. Hunter also runs the school’s weight-training program in the summer. He knows most of the school’s athletes very well.
Hunter admitted he thought he’d have to adjust to how he coached Asinger, but it didn’t take long for the young man’s enthusiasm for learning and improving to win over the head coach.
“Once I got to know him as a junior high wrestler, I found out how hard he works and I love having him around,” Hunter said.
His teammates are supportive, too, Hunter said.
“Our kids are extremely good about working with him. We’re constantly looking for a way to help him. The main thing we’ve come to realize is he lacks leverage because he can’t push off with the lower half of his body. His upper body is extremely strong and if he gets a hold of you, he’s not letting go. He’s super hard to turn. He does a good job of battling regardless of the situation.”
Fellow teammate Josh Hurt, a sophomore, qualified for the Class 1 state meet at 120 pounds last year. Hurt has wrestled for 10 years and has been friends with Asinger for four. At times, the two work as wrestling partners in practice.
“He’s one of the hardest workers in the room and he always sees what he can do to improve,” Hurt said. “He has had some hard times but he works through it. He’s proven he can wrestle like any of us. He’s an inspiration. He never gives up or complains. He has a big heart.”
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the uncertainty of the winter prep sports season continues to hover over the athletes. The state wrestling tournament is usually held over three days for all four boys classes and the one girls class. This year, the tournament has been moved from Columbia to Independence and will run from March 9-13. The Blackcat boys were moved from Class 1 to Class 2 this season and if any qualify for state, they will compete on March 11.
After his loss to Gross, Nichole said C.J. wouldn’t dwell on it when he got home. Just being out on the mat, battling to score wins for himself and points for the Blackcats, is what makes his life as normal as someone who has the use of their legs.
“The wrestling team is like a brotherhood,” Nichole said. “They all take care of each other. Being on the varsity is a huge deal. He amazes me every day with his personality.”