Kendric Birden says he is determined to inspire a new generation of female wrestlers in Iowa.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Overcoming the odds has become the norm for Kendric Birden.
“I grew up in a wrestling family, Birden told Local 5. “My father, he wrestled in high school and college. But my grandma wouldn’t let me.”
Birden was born with arthrogryposis, a congenital joint contracture in two or more areas of the body. But his drive to compete meant the Des Moines native didn’t exactly like taking “no” for an answer.
“I went to Hoover [High School]… my coach at the time, he wouldn’t let me compete,” Birden said. “My whole freshman year, I couldn’t compete because the school was scared.”
The following year, a new coach changed everything. Mark Johnson, who made history as Hoover’s first state champion wrestler, pushed him to wrestle when no one else would.
“That’s when wrestling …