Actions spoke louder than words
Quiet Gunter led his teammates by example
Quiet Gunter led his teammates by example

By Matt Patterson

Published: March 27, 2008

MIDWEST CITY — When Willie Gunter won his final Oklahoma high school state championship, the Midwest City wrestler didn't explode with joy or bear hug his coach and teammates.

Gunter, after all, has been there three times before. Basically, the senior had long mastered Oklahoma's high school ranks.

"I'm kind of used to it, so I didn't really jump up and down or anything,” Gunter said. "My sophomore year was more special. This year, we more or less expected to win it, and I expected to win myself, so it wasn't a surprise.”

Midwest City coach Jody Marple said Gunter leads by his actions on the mat and in the practice room.

"He shows the younger kids how it's done. He doesn't really talk, he's not vocal,” Marple said. "Compared to where he was as a freshman, he's grown a lot as a person and as a wrestler. He's one of those kids when the going gets rough, he gets tougher.”

Truth is, Gunter has never been a vocal leader. Much of that comes from his early days in the Midwest City wrestling room, when the awkward junior high kid was unsure of himself.

It was the summer after his freshman year when Willie became Willie. He wrestled 60 freestyle matches over that summer and returned to school as a different athlete.

"He took a lot of lumps at first,” Marple said. "He was new to our system and one of the smaller guys in the room, but he kept wrestling through it. He's a guy who is going to continue to get better as long as he puts in the time, which he does.”

Gunter went 36-2 as a senior. He has earned a host of honors outside of his high school competition, including Cadet All-American and a Junior All-American status.

He will wrestle at Central Oklahoma, where he hopes to be a freshman starter at 125 pounds.

"I expect to win four national championships,” he said with a grin. "I expect to start.”

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