Wrestling, teaching are perfect mix of skills

When Ashley Buckhouse was a freshman at Hilltop Baptist High School, she could hear her future math teacher yelling from down the hall.

Needless to say, Buckhouse, like many of her peers, was intimidated by Jim Gruenwald.

"We tell the younger kids to beware and not to cross him," said Beverly Strickland, one of Gruenwald's students. "Most kids were petrified of him when they first met him."

Meet Jim Gruenwald -- 34 years old, 5-foot-4, 132 pounds -- listens to classical music, enjoys reading, camping and playing computer games and is youth pastor at Hilltop Baptist Church.

Oh, and a two-time Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler.

School started Wednesday for Hilltop Baptist but Gruenwald wasn't in class. He was in Athens where he won one match and lost the other, eliminating him from pool competition.

Gruenwald is affectionately called "Mr. G" by his students. Now a senior, Buckhouse's impression of "Mr. G" has changed 180 degrees.

"You can't help but like him," Buckhouse beamed.

Somewhere between the 20 detentions he handed out to a freshman years ago and the joking threats of throwing students out the window - - telling them "Who would your parents believe? A student or the teacher?" -- Gruenwald has become many students' favorite teacher.

"You can tell he cares," said Eric Sigurdson who said he bonds with Gruenwald by playing video games online. "Being that he's in his 30s, he realizes it wasn't all that long ago that he was our age."

The impact Gruenwald has had on his students could never be matched, even by winning an Olympic medal. Gruenwald's students call him a jokester, yet a passionate and stern man who has not only spoken to them, but spoken with them.

Senior Andy Nicodin is the reigning Class A state wrestling champion in the 152-pound class. Since he was a sophomore, Gruenwald has helped him work on different techniques to help him improve.

"After my practice, I would go with him to his practice and he would show me all kinds of different moves," Nicodin said.

Wrestling isn't the only way Gruenwald helps.

"Some teachers show up and you can tell they don't really care, but 'Mr. G' will take the time to tutor you, if he has to, until you learn it," Buckhouse said.

But sports and schoolwork aside, Gruenwald has been able to grab students' attention by speaking about what matters most to them -- their faith in Jesus Christ.

Every Wednesday the school holds "chapel", a minichurch service with praise and worship for the first half and a guest speaker the second half.

The seniors in Gruenwald's class unanimously said their favorite speaker is "Mr. G."

"He's passionate about what he speaks about," Buckhouse said, adding that he sometimes gets a bit mistyeyed, even during his most passionate messages.

And while fiery speeches and being an Olympic wrestler with biceps the size of some students' heads might have intimidated many at first, Gruenwald has become a student-favorite -- "Mr. G" by being an example of true humility.

"One time I wished him good luck (before a match)," said Phillip Tereyla. "He said luck had nothing to do with it. 'If I win, it will be God's will.' "

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0215 or snorris@gazette.com

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