It’s been a great high school career for JWP Class of 2026 member Kayle Langford.
She probably didn’t expect to make school history, but she did as a member of the WEM/JWP wrestling team. Along with fellow senior Lilly Ewert, she was one of the first girls’ wrestlers to join the ranks of the Grizzlies wrestling program. Langford proved that hard work paid off, leading the team on and off the mat. While she was state-ranked most of this year, she proved she was worthy of that ranking; she was the first girls’ wrestler to make the state tournament.
Langford is also a member of the JWP FFA, where she served as its sentinel for the 2025-26 school year. She was also a captain of the Bulldog varsity softball team this season and has been a longtime member of the JWP band program as a saxophone, flute, and piccolo player. She also started using her vocal talents in the JWP musical and swing show recently, taking on the role of Rosie in this year’s musical, Mamma Mia! Her efforts earned her the Minnesota State High School League’s Triple A Award, which recognizes seniors who show excellence in the arts, academics, and athletics.
Langford has enjoyed making history as a wrestler. But she’s played softball for ten years. It’s why she’s going to play for the Rochester Community and Technical College Yellowjackets while getting a two-year degree in biology.
Given her involvement in wrestling and her interest in studying biology, it only seems natural that Adam Roesler is one of her favorite teachers. Brianne Eldred, who is currently serving her second season as the JWP softball coach, has been another favorite.
“Those two have shown me what true coaches do with how involved they are in sports and checking in on a day-to-day basis,” she said. “They don’t make sports feel like a military camp. They make it fun, flexible, and there’s a good vibe. They’re really kind, too.”
She feels that JWP and its staff have done a fantastic job providing experiences for the students. “If you take the opportunities they give, you can get a lot out of them,” she explained. “I’ve been able to get a lot of chances to do new things like the FFA band. If I didn’t get involved with the FFA, I would’ve never known how it was.”
Langford’s favorite high school memory is probably this reporter’s favorite of the six interviewed for this special section. During Langford’s sophomore year, in her first season of wrestling, she was participating in a girls’ section meet. She, Coach Roesler, and classmate Charles Adams went to McDonald’s afterward. Adams refused to eat to try to make his weight for the next meet, instead getting a Shamrock Shake.
“I remember Roesler waving some fries in his face, saying, ‘I bet one of these would taste good, huh?’” Langford shared between laughs. “He was just torturing him. When we got back from the meet, Charles squealed and yelled, ‘I gotta check my weight!’ He squealed and chugged his shake in a matter of seconds.”
Langford has come far from where she was as a freshman. “I’d tell that version of myself to keep doing what you’re doing, because it worked out pretty well.”
One thing she’ll miss about high school is all the opportunities she received and the friends she made over the years. “What was probably the highlight of my day was going down to AJ’s room and talking to all the boys,” she added.
She hopes that the JWP Class of 2026 will be remembered for their shenanigans and “how sporadic we can be.” Advice she’d give to the underclassmen would be, “Do your homework. It may not seem important, but the little things do matter. Putting in a little effort does create good habits.”
It’s been a great few years for Langford. While she’s helped the girls’ wrestling program put their name on the map with a state tournament berth, she’s also shared her musical talents with hundreds through band, the musical, and the swing show. She will get to share her talents on the softball field with hundreds, if not thousands, more people at Rochester Community and Technical College.
Best of luck, Kayle. It’s a new start, and as you would tell that high school freshman version of yourself, keep doing what you’re doing. If high school’s any indication of how you’ll do, you’ll do great.
