WOOD RIVER – Successful seasons, regardless of sport, are often laid down with a regimen of hard work during the off-season of a sport.
East Alton-Wood River running back T.J. Lawson is hoping that just such a regimen will help produce a successful track season this year and football season next fall.
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“I work out at Pride Fitness in Wood River twice a week,” Lawson said. “Monday and Wednesday afternoons I do deadlifts and work on my explosiveness; I've been going there since November 2014. I work out at school Tuesday and Thursday mornings, then do speed and agility workouts in Highland or Rosewood Heights on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons with Lance Still.
“It's really helped me; I won the 110 Percent Award in both track and football for this year.”
Lawson won the 100 and 200 meters in last spring's Prairie State Conference Track and Field Championship at EAWR's Memorial Stadium track as well as running legs on the 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams. “The workouts really helped my explosiveness out of the starting blocks,” Lawson said. “I've also worked on my footwork for both track and football; I've worked on keeping my knees up and my legs have gotten stronger.”
Lawson's brother, Levi, inspired him to do the workout he undertakes. “Levi took part in track and football at (EAWR),” Lawson said. “He's serving our country in the Air Force now and he's been an inspiration for me.”
The weightlifting Lawson has done to get him stronger has paid off in many ways. “Last summer I made the 1,000-pound club for football,” Lawson said. “My body weight is 165 and it's really made me stronger.”
It certainly helped on the football field this past season; Lawson ran for 355 yards on 50 carries with three touchdowns while catching 11 passes for 72 yards with a touchdown, helping the Oilers to their first IHSA playoff berth in several years with a 6-3 regular season record before being defeated by Carlinville in the first round of the IHSA Class 3A playoffs.
“I was very glad with the success of the football team last season,” Lawson said. “I hope it continues.”
