Minutes before 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Doletta Weatherspoon sends out a text message to remind her 11 children of the prayer conference call.

Among them, Lelund Weatherspoon, redshirt junior in hospitality management, calls in if not busy with homework or a wrestling match, and has the opportunity to talk with his family about the prayers he need, the struggles he is going through and the opportunities he’s been blessed with.

“Once we are done praying, we will joke around and basically catch up with each other and then say goodnight,” said Kaniya Weatherspoon, Lelund’s younger sister who attends Western Michigan.

Kaniya and Lelund have always been two peas-in-a-pod, considering themselves as twins, although Kaniya is two years younger. As Lelund wrestled growing up, Kaniya would stand on the sidelines, holding his gear and cheering him on.

“I’m basically his shadow,” Kaniya said.

She explains that while their whole family is close, each sibling has their pair, and Lelund is hers. However, Lelund explains the pair is most beneficial for when the other is in trouble or they are teasing the siblings.

Kaniya and Lelund explain that their “twin” bond was over their competitive edge and their love for sports, Lelund focusing on wrestling while Kaniya is involved with track.

However, born between girls and with five sisters, Lelund has always been a sisters’-boy, constantly texting them in a group message and facetiming them to check in on them. While he protects them, they consider him the baby.

“The sisters take care of him,” Kaniya said. “Lelund is like the baby.”

When Lelund was injured, he begged Kaniya to drive to Ames to take care of him while he was healed, even though she was unable to. When the sisters come to visit, they will cook and clean, but when other girls enter the picture, the sisters become protective.

“If that person doesn’t fit the criteria then she’s got to go,” Kaniya laughs.

Lelund admits he doesn’t ever remember bringing a girl home, however when he discusses it with the sisters, they make sure to ask all the questions in their background check.

“‘What does she look like? [Is] she good? So I don’t have to come down there right?’,” Lelund said. “[They will ask for] basic information. I might Facetime with one of the girls there and they will meet them,”

Kaniya and Lelund have had each other’s back since they were young. While playing baseball in the living room at 10 years old, Lelund lost control of the bat, breaking a window with one flick of the wrist.

Going to Kaniya, he pleaded with her to take the fall with him, so he wouldn’t be punished alone. She put aside her fear for their mother’s wrath and was by his side as they both were spanked.

“I was like ‘wow, that’s my ride or die right there’,” Lelund said.

Lelund was not afraid to be adventurous on his own. As a child, he found the perfect present to show his mother, a garter snake. As he ran into the house and held it up high, Doletta tried to stay calm in fear he would drop the snake in the house.

“I was like ‘Oh, yes, Lelund, those are pretty nice. Take them back outside now’,” Doletta said.

The memory stuck with him since.

“Ever since then, I’ve been terrified of snakes,” Lelund said

However, his relationship with his mother and father has since grown and helped him become who he is. While his father, Vincent, is tough and to the point, reflecting Lelund’s determination, Doletta is laid back and calm, showing Lelund’s regular personality.

“Mama’s sugar coated… but with Dad it’s like toughen up,” Lelund said. “[Vincent’s] famous line is, ‘you done being a little Mama’s boy?’.”

Lee Weatherspoon, Vincent’s father, was the backbone to Lelund. Still strong mentally and physically at 90 years old, he would arm wrestle Lelund and beat him every time, leaning back with a laugh.

Lee grew up in a large family. With the death of his father at a young age, Lee had to drop out of school after the 8th grade in order to help provide for their family, causing struggles throughout his life time.

He worked as a machinist, operating on various machines, and fought in World War II. At about the age of 70, he graduated high school with his youngest son. Later, he went gained a successful career in real estate.

Lelund always felt close to him through wrestling. Lee would get ready for Lelund’s wrestling matches, coat on and a handful of peanuts in his pocket. When Lelund would win a match, Lee would nod his head, and wait for the next one.

“Wrestling brings me closer to him every single time,” Lelund said.

During his freshman year, Lee died. Lelund reflected on the last time Lee saw him wrestle, at an Ameture Athletic Union wrestling meet which he won.

“It still affects me to this day,” he said. “I just want him here.”

Lelund was raised in the Church of God in Jackson, Michigan. Bringing his competitive side to Sunday school, he made sure to memorize all the facts of the bible he could in order to win the prizes that were at stake.

“I was that one kid who knew all the bible verses,” Lelund said.

One of his favorite bible verses remains on his chest today. Proverbs 3:6 states, “in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

As a storm raged on outside, a young Lelund stood on the ledge of his fireplace reciting a bible verse to Doletta. As lightning struck, he yelled,

“Look! God’s taking a picture!”

As he grew older and college came, he began losing his faith, becoming more consumed with the idea that he could accomplish whatever he wanted on his own. However with a blow to his knee as a set back, he felt there was something wrong, so he turned to his mother.

“Last year I feel like he wasn’t putting it together correctly,” Doletta said. “I told him that there are certain things you have to do if you want God’s blessing.”

As his knee saw progress, he thought he was in the clear, before another surgery with his hernia caused him to reevaluate.

“It was more about ‘me, me, me.’ I wasn’t listening to anybody and being arrogant for a while,” Lelund said.

Between separate conversations with his coaches, his mother and a close friend Kyven Gadson, he realized he could not be successful on his own, but with help from God.

“One thing [that made me listen] was I wasn’t winning,” Lelund said. “I did start to listen towards the end of the season. It was more like a learning process to me.”

He attends Cornerstone church on Sundays, Fellowship of Christian athletes on Monday, Coach Travis Paulson’s bible study on Wednesday and The Salt Company on Thursday.

“I’m always trying to build my faith up or constantly be in that atmosphere,” Lelund said.

However the places are not the only things surrounding him with encouragement to exceed in his relationship with God, but the people in his life as well.

“I’m a Christian. I believe in god,” Jackson said. “I believe that there are more important things in life than just wrestling, but sometimes we get consumed with just wrestling.”

As Lelund steps onto the mat before the match, he bends down and says a prayer he’s been saying since he started wrestling in the third grade, “Lord, give me the strength and protection.”