For Jordan Futch, the throwing circle at Hamilton Southeastern High School has been more than just a place to compete. It is where he learned that showing up and doing the work eventually pays off. As he finishes his senior year, Jordan is trading his Royals jersey for the chance to compete at the Division I level with Purdue Fort Wayne.
Choosing a college can be stressful, but for Jordan, it came down to who showed up for him. Coach Sean from PFW was there from the beginning and stayed consistent throughout the recruiting process. It also helped that some of Jordan’s former teammates are already there. “I knew I’d be in good hands,” Jordan says. While he looked at other schools like Marian University, the connection at PFW felt like the right fit.
The move to college brings a lot of big changes. Jordan is looking forward to the bigger stage of D1 athletics, but he is just as excited about the simple stuff. He is ready to hang out in an apartment and live the daily life of a college student with his teammates.
Of course, the transition won’t be easy. In college, the weights get heavier. Jordan knows he will have to put in extra hours to adjust to the new equipment. Then there is the student-athlete struggle of finding a balance between a demanding practice schedule and focusing on education.
Jordan admits that he did not get here alone. He credits Coach Bird for helping him master his technique and Coach Gelen for pushing him to get stronger in the weight room over the last two years. As always, his parents have been his biggest fans by sticking by him through every decision and every meet.
As a senior, Jordan’s leadership style is pretty down to earth. While some captains have to manage massive rosters of runners, Jordan focuses on his group of 20 throwers. He takes being a voice for the team seriously, but he enjoys the closer feel of the throwers.
If he could go back and give his younger self some advice, it would be simple. He would tell himself to just stick with it.
“Throwing is a very up and down sport,” Jordan reflects. “Staying consistent at it is the most important thing. That is what I did and have found a lot of success.”
As he prepares to head to Fort Wayne, Jordan is proof that you do not need a flashy secret to succeed. You just need the grit to keep spinning, keep throwing, and keep improving.
