A childhood growing up in Newport, Kentucky, also known as "Sin City USA" , taught Frank Cheek that the first punch is the winning punch most of the time. He spent half his time with the "good" kids who played sports and half his time with the "so-called hoods" who were always in the middle of trouble. His dad loved work and discipline and his mom loved sports. He found himself at the crossroads after graduating from high school. He knew the only future in Newport for him would center around trouble and violence. So he joined the Marine Corps. Sports, hard work, humor, and occasionally throwing the first punch got him through the Corps. It wasn't until the Lord got a hold of him that Frank could let go of the need to throw the first punch. But he held onto sports, hard work and humor to forge a coaching career at the high school and college level that has placed him in five Halls of Fame. His long career at Humboldt State included 22 years coaching wrestling and 25 years coaching softball. Fifteen of his teams finished in the nation's Top 10. His path from a "so-called hood" to a multiple national champion is a story of how a life dedicated to Jesus is a life of redemption, grace, humility and victory.

--Tom Trepiak and Frank Cheek

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