Salute to a special military mom
Spencerport wrestler shows appreciation
Democrat and Chronicle
Scott Pitoniak
Staff writer

(February 19, 2005) — They spoke by phone last Sunday, and, from half-a-world away, Justin Linville could hear his mom crying.

"She told me how proud she was of me," he recalled before a recent wrestling practice at Spencerport High School. "I told her I was proud of her, too."

Renee Linville, a chief warrant officer with the New York Army National Guard, left for Iraq in mid-October. Two months later, her 17-year-old son won his first varsity match and decided to dedicate his junior season to her.

"I had told my dad I was going to do it, and I really think it has helped me focus," Justin said. "I think of her every time I take the mat. I'm doing this for her as well as for me. I don't want to let her down." -

There's no danger of that happening. Renee has every reason to be proud of the young man she and her husband, Larry Linville, have raised. His dedication to wrestling — Spencerport coach Bill Jacoutot said Justin didn't miss a single conditioning workout throughout the summer and fall — has resulted in a 28-8 record in the 171-pound weight class and a berth in today's Section V wrestling tournament at Webster Schroeder High School.

"He has really come on as the season has progressed," said Jacoutot, the coach who built Spencerport into a perennial state wrestling power. "He is just such a great kid; very dedicated and very unassuming."

Justin's discipline undoubtedly is a byproduct of growing up in a military family. His father is a major sergeant with the Army National Guard stationed in Rochester.

"They are strict, but it's not what people think," Justin said. "Our family isn't run like a branch of the military. My parents have never been overzealous. They just want to see me get the best out of myself."

And, so far, he has. An honors student, Justin readily accepts responsibilities that go beyond the wrestling mat and the classroom. His father's job as a National Guard recruiter requires him to travel around the state, and when he's gone, Justin becomes the man of the house, looking after himself and his 12-year-old sister, Kristina.

"I admire him so much for the way he has handled things," the father said. "I knew it was going to be a tough situation and the last thing I wanted Justin to do was to stop being a teenager because you only get one shot in life at being a kid. But Justin, on his own, has picked up some of the responsibilities around the house that his mom assumed when she was here. It's been very gratifying to see."

Gratifying, too, has been the way the Spencerport wrestling community has rallied around the Linvilles. Parents of other wrestlers have stopped by to deliver meals, and during home matches the loudest cheering usually occurs when Justin is competing.

"They know that Renee can't be there cheering Justin on, so all of the mothers act as if Justin is a part of their family, too," Larry said. "It's made things easier for all of us knowing how much people care."

Before last Saturday's "Senior Night" match against Irondequoit, a group of parents had the wrestlers unfurl an 8-by-10 banner that read: "The Spencerport Rangers Support Our Troops." Each member of the team signed it, and the banner, along with a video and photographs taken of that night's match, will be sent to Renee.

"Some parents approached me about it, and I thought it was a great idea," said Spencerport athletic director John Pelin. "It would show support not only for the Linvilles, but also for the five or six other former Spencerport wrestlers we have over there. The night was very emotional. It really put things in perspective."

Justin appreciated the gesture. But he was concerned his feelings might get the best of him.

"You want to keep your focus on your match, but it can be difficult in a situation like that," he said. "I had to work really hard to keep my concentration."

As it turned out, he need not have worried. He was able to maintain his composure and pin his opponent in the first period.

An introspective young man who enjoys playing classical rock on his guitar, Justin has readjusted his goals higher as the season has progressed. He would love nothing more than to be able to tell his mom that he is a sectional champion the next time she calls. But even if that doesn't transpire, he can take heart in what he has achieved on and off the mat.

Justin Linville has matured greatly during this stressful time. In the process, he has achieved something far greater than a sectional title. He has won the respect and admiration of a mom he cares deeply about half-a-world away.