Oct. 28, 2002

By Bob Houchin
MU Athletic Media Relations

Most college football players began their young careers as grade schoolers dominating the little league gridiron and loving every second of it. For many, it seemed as if they were meant to be on the field.

University of Missouri senior offensive lineman Wes Wilson did not fall within that category of players.

Despite living in his childhood out in the football-engrossed Deep South, the now 6-foot-3, 300-pounder could not stand playing football as a youngster.

"It just didn't appeal to me for some reason. When I started playing in third grade, I was down in Alabama. I just didn't care for it. I didn't like it so much that I didn't play for the next two years," Wilson said.

Not until Wilson and his family moved to Kansas City before entering sixth grade did he try the sport he so vehemently disliked.

"My dad suggested I give it another chance," Wilson said. "So, I decided I would give it one more chance. I thought I might have fun this time."

It was at that point in his life that Wilson met the man that would help him realize the fun he could have playing the sport he now loves. Wilson met Frank Stalone.

"He is the guy who made me love football, and he's the reason why I'm here today," Wilson said. "The man was amazing. He made it so much fun. I really enjoyed the way he brought football to us and the way we played it. He believed in me."

While instilling a deep affection for the game of football in Wilson, Stalone also taught the young lineman the value of hard work and how to become successful on the football field.

"It was mainly his attitude. He made football a lot of fun. Because he made it so much fun and taught us so much, we won a lot of ball games. My eighth-grade year we went undefeated. We won it all. We just had fun with it. I just loved it," Wilson said.

After finishing up his little league career and graduating grade school, Wilson took his positive mind set and strong will to Park Hill High School.

At Park Hill, Wilson was a standout athlete. He kept a full schedule by competing and dominating in three sports: football, basketball, and power lifting.

"I would go in at 5:30 in the morning and go in for power lifting before school, then I would go to class all day, and then I would go to basketball or football practice in the afternoon." Wilson said. "It was pretty tough. I don't know how I did it. But, it did have a big factor of getting me here at Missouri because of my strength. It helped me a lot."

It was actually in the weight room where Wilson gained national prominence and attention. He was the state power-lifting champion and placed third in nationals for combined weight lifted. With his impressive lifts, Park Hill won the national power lifting championship as a team.

In spite of all his success in power lifting, it was on the football field that Wilson felt most comfortable. Using his ferocious power, he averaged 14 "pancake blocks" a game and helped Park Hill average 23 yards per rush in his senior year.

At the end of the season, he was named an all-state offensive lineman, and was recruited by many Big 12 schools. When it came to decision time, Wilson felt best about Missouri.

It was at his official day of signing the man who taught Wilson the fine points of the game he now loved was present. It was the same man who coached him though little league and watched him play his entire high school career. It was Frank Stalone.

"I kept in contact with him all through high school and everything, and he'd always come watch me play," Wilson said. "I could always count on Coach Stalone. He was always there if I needed him."

Under the eye of his childhood mentor, Wilson left for Columbia eager to take on the new challenges that lie ahead.

Wilson quickly learned that the transition from high school to college football was a considerable one.

"When I came here as a freshman, it was not easy. I wasn't sure what I was doing here. I was second guessing myself all the time. Thank goodness, I always had my parents to be my support system. They were always there for me," Wilson said.

As soon as he was able to once again build up his self-confidence in his abilities and begin to adapt to playing Big 12 college football, Wilson was dealt a tragic blow.

The man who taught him the game of football; the man who watched his high school games and was there for his signing day; the man who he considered a close friend, Frank Stalone, was stricken with inoperable, incurable cancer.

"When Frank passed away, it was pretty tough. It was hard to deal with," Wilson said taking a second to collect his thoughts.

"Frank Stalone, he was the man," Wilson said noticeably moved.

Fighting back the strong emotions, Wilson went back to work on the football field. No longer was he playing for just himself. He was playing with the memory of his coach and friend on his mind.

After red-shirting his freshman year, and acting as a back up for a veteran offensive line for several years, Wilson was preparing to compete for a starting job.

During that off-season, he put in hours and hours of lifting, training, running, and studying in hopes of gaining any type of additional edge going into summer practice.

But, in his first week of summer drills, Wilson suffered a significant injury, one that would hamper him the rest of the year and significantly hurt his chances of starting. Wilson tore his MCL and missed over a month and a half of valuable practice time.

Despite being relegated to back-up duty, Wilson has continued to remain positive. Taking that fiery attitude and competitive spirit he learned under his trusted friend Coach Stalone, he refused to allow is disappointment get the best of him.

"I wanted to come back this my senior year and keep plugging away," Wilson said. "I just don't want to quit. I never will. I can't quit."

It is that type of attitude that has made Wilson a success on and off the field, and it is that type of determination that will help Wilson when his playing days are over and he goes on to graduate and enter the real world.

While Wilson does not see himself coaching college or high school football in the future, he is open to coaching little league football if and when he has a son of his own.

"The reason why I want to coach at that level is all because of Frank Stalone. He made it so much fun. I remember how it was; I'll try to do the same for my son and his teammates."