Inspired Determination
Nov 21, 2003 | Football
By Jessica Settle
Sports Information Student Assistant
Everybody has a driving force in his or her life - maybe a friend or a coach, but something drives them everyday. For senior linebacker Josh Buhl it is his mother, Denise Upchurch.
"My mother was very inspirational to me, she kept me out of a lot of trouble. I used to be in a lot of trouble and she stuck up for me and raised me right," Buhl said.
Buhl gives a lot of credit to his mom and rightfully so since she raised a successful young man which is often hard to do in society today. Denise and her husband Charles are the proud parents of six children, Clarence, Joseph, Jason (Josh's twin), Venecia, Josh and Jasmin.
"Raising children is a task- if you do it right," Upchurch said, "No one is perfect."
Upchurch thanked Josh for giving her credit for his upbringing.
"But, all credit goes to God," Mrs. Upchurch said. "If you pursue your goals, stand strong in what you believe in when you start something, then finish it to the best of your ability."
This is Upchurch's motto in life. This is what she tells all of her children, and they know that she will be there to guide them along the path in which God has set.
Josh added some obstacles on the parenting path because he has such an outward view on life, and is very open about the way he feels.
"Josh was a born leader, I could tell from the moment he was in the womb that he was a 'go-getter.' He has been a determined person ever since he came into this world," Upchurch said.
As an outsider it is easy to tell that Buhl is a leader on the field, with the way he pumps his teammates up.
"Through my actions and my words, I try to say something and play the same way. This way it's not just my words because anybody can talk the talk, so I always try to talk it and walk it. Hopefully that motivates my teammates to do the same thing or try to outshine me."
Buhl will do whatever it takes to get his teammates to play better and get another win for his team.
"Whatever motivates them to play better, that's all I'm trying to do," he said. "I don't care if they get mad that I make tackles and they want to make more tackles, as long as we get better and win more games."
It is all very simple for Buhl. Practice hard, play hard and show leadership by example.
"That's all I really strive for so that we can be successful, and maybe I can get my teammates around me to play better and they can get me to play better."
Senior Andrew Shull, a defensive teammate of Buhl's, often calls him Superman, because of all the tackles Buhl has made this season.
"They always joke with me, and that is their newest thing (Superman nickname)," he said. "It's cool that they look at me like that, but I'm just out there having fun."
Buhl's teammates are very important to him. Senior linebacker Bryan Hickman has been Buhls' best friend since his high school days at North Mesquite near Dallas, Texas.
"My sophomore year (in high school), Bryan and I became really good friends and it was awesome," he said.
They are roommates and have been ever since they both arrived at K-State in 2000. When asked how he ended up at K-State, Buhl said it was luck.
"I came here by luck of the draw really," he said. "I didn't know where I was going, up until signing day, and it was between K-State and Nebraska. So, I prayed about it the night before and on signing day I just pick one and I picked K-State and knew it was meant to be."
With 154 tackles heading into the last game of the season versus Missouri, Wildcat fans are glad Buhl picked K-Sate, but he knows it was the right fit for him.
"It's been a great fit most definitely," he said. "It's been a hard four years (being far from home), but my parents come up here when they can, to see the games."
Being 500 miles away from home can be difficult, but Buhl knows his family is always supporting him even if it's from their living room in Mesquite, Texas. This season Buhl's mom was able to make it to the California game, and his twin brother Jason, older brothers Clarence and Joseph and his stepfather Charles, were able to attend one of Josh's biggest games of the season in Austin against Texas.
This was especially meaningful for Jason, because he has been stationed in Turkey with the Air Force and was able to fly home for the game. Not only did Josh have his family in attendance, but also that game was extra meaningful since it was in his home state.
"I was constantly competing against all of the guys from Texas (in high school) for awards, since we were all in the same class," Buhl said. "So, I pretty much don't like those guys."
As the final chapter in Buhl's Wildcat novel comes to an end, he has the NFL in his sights.
"It looks like the NFL is falling into my plans for the future," he said. "So my first thing will be to go there (NFL) and see what I can make of it."
When Upchurch was asked of Josh's future in the NFL, she said they talk about it frequently.
"I always push for the extra level of education," she said. "If you use the funds from the NFL, just use them the right way. Anything can happen when you have knowledge. Knowledge is power."
Listening and taking the advice from his biggest driving force, Buhl said he would like to go back to school and get his master's degree to become a psychologist.
"I love to listen to people and love to talk to people," he said. "It's one of my gifts."
Buhl talks of eventually helping troubled teens, because he understands them and wants to make an impact.
"Josh has proven so many people wrong thus far, but he chose that decision for himself," Upchurch said. " I am so proud of him and all his accomplishments. I give all of the credit to him."
No matter what the driving force is in your life, make it count. And, as Upchurch says, "If you start something, finish it, and do it to the best of your ability."
These words of wisdom have only guided and inspired Josh Buhl's success in sport and in life for a lifetime.
