THE LIFE OF TANNER DREDGE

BY OF COURSE: TANNER DREDGE

TannerDredgeLEADER OF THE NFLIN TACKLES TELLS US HIS LIFE STORYBY ERIC VANHORN

SPORTSILLUSTRATED

“In high school was really when I knew I had to step it up for the good of the team and me.”- Tanner

Dredge

For trying to wrestle and tackle random people on the street.

WARNING!!!! He IS HOSTILE.

EVERY DAY I WAKE UP

HURTING.

Tanner Dredge, 16, from St. Joseph’s Benton High School won this Thursday by pin against last year’s state finalist in the 172 pound weight division, Timothy Smith. So we went to Dredge, an early favorite to win the Missouri State Tournament this February, to see what got him into to this sport and what motivates him. “ Well, it first started with my Grandpa and my mother’s Uncle Fred,” he explains, “ They were stocky, strong, boys that worked on the farm every single day and were well-rounded

athletes. They went to Mid-Buchanan High-school and were stars at 3 sports (football, wrestling, track and field) but they started our family ‘legacy’ for wrestling.They both had a decorated high-school career but unfortunately, only Fred placed 5th. Soon after they were out of school they coached their little brother, Kevin. Kevin ended up placing 3rd, 4th, and 5th and becoming the highest place in our family to place at state.” Tanner says, almost reciting this like it all happened yesterday, but continues again,” Then Kevin ended up having a kid named Kevin (‘Bub’ as I have called him his entire life). Bub started wrestling his when he was 7, racking up countless medals and trophies for tournament wins. In high-school, all his experience and hard work caught up with him. All four year’s, Bub qualified for state and received(in this order): 6th, 5th, 1st, and 2nd. His skills have impressed colleges and he is looking at either going to Benedictine or an Iowa college. I started wrestling after I heard he got first. I never had any wrestling experience at all, I was a basketball player. I just wanted our family legacy to live on, you know?” He explains, “ I just want to be the next kid in the family to win a state title for wrestling so I can make my family proud of me. I was actually there when Bub got 2nd. My coach took 3 wrestlers to Columbia (MO) to feel what it is like down there, and luckily I was one. The whole time down there I was

right by my cousin’s side before and after matches, he had a lot of pressure, he was undefeated and the proposed 2nd time state champ of 132 lb. Well, finally he was wrestling in the finals. I had to stay up in the arena, but his dad and I felt like we were right next to him. We were both shaking and praying that he won this, I never wanted something as bad as I wanted to say I watched him win it. But he lost, a painstaking struggle to a 3-2 decision loss. I have to admit, it was a stab through the heart. I broke down a little bit, because I was very upset that my Bub lost his senior year. I waited for him to come up there so that I could hug him and tell him how proud I was of him. But I vowed to myself that I was going to bottle up all of my emotions and that was going to be my motivation for gold.” Dredge tells us with a sheer look of determination in his eyes. Tanner, after telling us everything that inspired him to wrestle, told us he likes to think of himself as part of “A Legacy to be Continued.”

Kevin “Bub” Steeby here is pictured with his wrestling apparel and singlets from the Mid-Buchanan Dragons. This is his senior year photo.

Tanner DredgeDenver Dredge

Edward Dredge Brandi Steeby

Sonny Dredge

Mary Margaret

Raymond Steeby

Cheri Travis

Bill Steeby

Lousie Carter

Joann Kissinger

Doyle Travis

Tanner is 182nd ranked name in U.S.

In the recent U.S. name poll, Tanner was just ranked 182nd upon other names. Tanner is a masculine name from an English surname meaning “one who tans hides.” Tanner just started showing up in names in about the 1950’s. The name hit a peak of .240% used in the U.S.A. at about the years 1997. In the U.S. at this time, we have a celebrity that shares this name, Tanner Dredge. So we asked him a few questions:Q: How do you like your name?T: I actually love my name. It is just a simple name that is but is not common. It definitely a more modern name but it just sounds cool.

Q: Why did your parents pick your name out?T: Well my mom wanted me to be named either Clayton or Preston while my dad and mom liked the name Sebastian. After they looked through a baby book, they came across my name and they said that was it!

! Next page shows the 183rd ranked name in U.S.

FACTS: The Facts

The Mizzou Game! After going to a Mizzou football game, they gave us tickets to all the home games, but we had to tell them ahead of time. One saturday, we left my house early in the morning so we could get to the breakfast planned for an unofficial visit. They were playing the Texas Longhorns. In the car, I was way too excited to sleep for the 3 hour drive, but once I seen the first tiger tail hanging from the car, I knew it was close. ! There was the Mizzou license plates, logo’s, tiger tail’s, and everyone we seen driving by would be wearing all sorts of Missouri apparel. It made sense why that game ended up being sold out. Most of the billboards were talking about Mizzou saying things like,” We Are One.” Once we finally got into Columbia, it was filled with cars and all of the stores were restaurants and stores were tiger themed like the Bengal Café. The atmosphere of the college town was amazing! ! After the breakfast, we walked along the field while the players were warming up, I wanted to jump with them and start playing football with them even though they would have probably killed me. We sat down 2 rows behind Mizzou’s bench which gave us amazing seats! There was thousands of people everywhere wearing black and gold while there was a tiny portion of Texas fans in the corner wearing orange. The players left and then my favorite part of the game happened.! They were showing highlights of the Tiger’s on the big screen while playing some sort of music, their locker room door had smoke coming out from it while the cheerleaders and others made a big path to the field. Then the announcer yells,”Here come’s your Tigers!” and the team ran out. It was an exhilarating experience. I had goosebumps all over because that was a cool experience. ! I loved the loyal Tiger fans. They would always cheer and hold up a 3 and yell on defensive 3rd downs. The student section was crazy! They were definitely the loudest and craziest, especially the ones with their shirts off and were painted! ! The Mizzou game’s are a big thing I look forward to later this year and I am grateful that I get to experience it again.

This is the Drake families crest, but Drake was a variation of Dredge so the crest are virtually the same.

THE WORDMAY 2012

THE DREDGE FAMILYTHE DREDGE FAMILIES NAME’S ORGIN...

FAMILY NAMES PART 8

Dredge is an ancient name from the times of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. They used the name for a powerful, fierce person but the comes from a word for dragon. It derived from the word draca which means dragon. The Dredge family crest is a red dragon with a knight’s helmet. The motto is “Aquila non captat muscas” which translates to “The eagle is no fly-catcher.” Variations of Dredge included Drake, Drakes, Drayke, and others. That is it for the Dredge family! Send in your family to be on the next magazine.

My name is Tanner Dredge. I am 15 and a freshman in high-school. I am the son of Brandi and Eddie Dredge. I have my sister Denver and my half-sister, Alexis. I am a football player and a wrestler. I play linebacker in football and I wrestled 152 lb. this year for wrestling. I am about 5’11, 175 lb. right now. I want to either go to college at the University of Missouri or University of Southern California. Also if you do not know me, I am a huge fan of Tim Tebow.

http://www.behindthename.com/name/tannerFor the First name paper.

http://www.houseofnames.com/Dredge-family-crestFor the last name magazine.

Thanks to my mom and grandpa for helping me on the newspaper and family tree.

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