Ask Jayden Link what he’s most proud of, and the Cushing High School junior won’t point to a championship, a medal or a defining moment. Instead, he’ll talk about showing up on the days when improvement feels hardest. For Link, success isn’t about a single achievement. It’s about earning the right to look back and know he gave everything he had.
“I don’t have some big accomplishment or achievement,” Link said. “I’m just proud of myself for working to get better and working hard even when I felt like I couldn’t.”
That mindset has become the foundation of everything he does. Link competes in football and wrestling, two sports that demand toughness, consistency and discipline. While he once competed in track, his attention is now focused on becoming the best athlete he can be in football and wrestling.
Of the two sports, wrestling has had the greatest impact on his life.
“Wrestling has taught me so much self-discipline and respect,” Link said. “I don’t know what it is or why, but wrestling has made me a better human. Maybe someday I’ll be able to explain it, but today I just know it.”
He also points to teammate Bryce Ward, a lifelong friend he considers family, as someone who has challenged him to raise his standards.
“He’s the hardest-working, most dedicated athlete I know,” Link said. “He pushed me to never give up.”
Away from school, Link spends much of his time working. He says he was raised to believe that nothing comes free and that earning respect starts with putting in honest effort. That outlook matches the advice that has stayed with him the longest: no opponent is superhuman, and anything worth having is possible if you’re willing to work for it.
Link also credits coach Rusty Morgan for keeping him involved in athletics.
“If it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t be doing sports,” Link said. “He encourages me.”
Whether he’s on the field, on the mat or at work, Link’s goal remains the same: keep getting better and make the people who have invested in him proud.
