Bristow’s Luke Fortney: Wrestling Spotlight Presented By Ortho Oklahoma

By Derrick Smith

Perseverance is a key for any athlete that wants to be successful in their sport. But by continuing to put in the work and effort, even in the midst of failure, can make the victory that much sweeter.

Lucas Fortney says that his best moment of his career came after much work.

“The highlight of my short career definitely has to be been winning a state title,” he said. “I don’t know how many days that I ran in that hot wrestling room, sweating, and looking at a Who Will Be Next sign that was posted. I would always think to myself that I would be next and my goal finally came true.”

A senior at Bristow High School, Fortney is a two-sport athlete for the Pirates. He wrestles at 220 pounds for the wrestling team and on the football team, he lines up at middle linebacker. Lucas says that he began wrestling when he was five years old and started football in the first grade.

There have been people that have come in and out of Fortney’s life throughout the years. And while each of them touched Lucas’ life in one way or another, there is one person that has always been there for Lucas.

“My dad has been the biggest influences in my life,” he said. “For the longest time, it has been just he and I rocking and we are still rocking to this day.”

It has not been an easy road for Lucas to get where he is today, but he says that the work has been worth it.

“A lot of people have always said that I had a God given talent, which is true to some extent,” he said. “But when I was younger, I was horrible at everything I did. Then I started working harder and harder, making myself hate the taste of defeat and the taste of defeat made me want to work even harder.”