Law student Jason Waddell has more than just judicial talent up his sleeve as a new member of the Superior Court of the UOSA Student Congress. Waddell is a former truck driver, a competitive cyclist and an extreme sports enthusiasts.
Waddell graduated from Mustang High School in 1992 and began a career as a truck driver for Locke Supply Co., a wholesale company that serves contractors.
"I started on the graveyard shift pulling orders for the next day's deliveries," Waddell said. "Within three years, I had moved up and was offered the opportunity to become a driver, and I obtained my Commercial Drivers License (CDL) to operate 18-wheelers."
Waddell said the main benefit of becoming a truck driver was that he was able to work less hours for more money, which allowed him to focus on his budding cycling career.
"I would drive the truck from Oklahoma City to Shawnee, Okmulgee and then Broken Arrow each day making the deliveries and then cycle in the afternoon," Waddell said.
Channeling Lance Armstrong, Waddell, 36, became a bike enthusiast at a young age. Since childhood, he had been involved in various cycling sports.
"I was a BMX racer o na national level from childhood until the age of 19," Waddell said. "I spent a few years motocross and mountain bike racing until 1996 when I decided to solely focus on cycling and road racing."
This focus paid off. Literally. Waddell said he acquired reasonable regional results, which allowed him to get on better teams with more financial support. Throughout his career, he raced in more than 55 races per year.
"I then was able to secure results at national-level races," Waddell said. "These results allowed me to draw salary from sponsors as well as covering every aspect of equipment and travel aspects."
Waddell said he raced from 1998-2004, but retired to finish his education and attend law school.
"I had always planned on going to law school," Waddell said. "But, I decided at a young age that I had to pursue my athletic ambitions while I Was young, and put off law school."
Before retirement, Waddell single-handedly organized the Mathis Brothers/Sharmer Image cycling team, associate dean of the Honors College and former teammate Rich Hamerla said.
Hamerla, a competitive cyclist himself, met Waddell 10 years ago while riding his bike 20 miles outside of Norman when Waddell drove up beside him in his truck.
"He was the first person I met in Norman," Hamerla said. "We were both competitive cyclists, and he wanted to know who I was because I was 20 miles outside of town. The cycling community here is pretty tight."
Hamerla watched Waddell's brain child, the Mathis Brothers/Sharper Image cycling team, grow into something successful.
"He took the team all the way to the U.S. National Road Championships in Philadelphia,"Hamerla said.
Waddell's commitment to the sport of cycling gives him an edge within his new position as superior Court Justice, Hamerla said.
"You have to be extremely disciplined; you have to ride your bike 20-30 hours a week year round, when you do htat for 10 to 15 years you've established a sort of character that is applicable for the rest of your life," Hamerla said. "That postion is going to be demanding, and he's experienced different things in his life that will allow him to be better at his position"
Post-cycling retirement brought Waddell to OU to attend law school after graduation from Oklahoma City Community College. Waddell said he transferred to OU in 2005, and enrolled in the liberal studies program with a concentration in administrative leadership.
He received his degree in 2006, and too a year off to travel before applying to law school.
"I enjoy the learning process," Waddell said. "Everyone should strive to better themselves by learning not only about things that interest them, but things that will braoden their understanding of the world in which we live."
Waddell is set to graduate law school this coming May.
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