It isn’t easy to keep up with York senior Cole Ostendorf.
That goes beyond the football field.
“We had to purchase new weights for our weight room for him,” York coach Mike Fitzgerald said. “We couldn’t fit enough weight on the bar, so we had to get some special weights just for him, which is kind of funny.”
There’s nothing funny about Ostendorf’s desire to be the strongest and best football player he can be.
The 5-foot-11, 210-pound linebacker earned all-state honors last season, when he recorded 90 tackles, with 27 for loss and 11.5 sacks. The West Suburban Conference Silver Division defensive player of the year was a vital cog in the Dukes’ historic season, during which they posted the first 9-0 regular-season record in the program’s 102-year history and reached the Class 8A state semifinals.
“He’s a machine, a very productive player and one of the best linebackers I’ve ever coached,” Fitzgerald said. “He’s got a knack for getting off blocks and getting to the football.
“He’s very hard to kind of get your hands on. He knows how to shed blockers and read the guards really well. When he sees the window, there’s no hesitation, and off he goes. He fills the hole and makes the plays.”
It all starts in the weight room. Ostendorf can bench-press 390 pounds and long ago broke all of York’s weightlifting records.
More Top Picks Net Lights
“He’s pound for pound the strongest kid I’ve ever been around,” Fitzgerald said. “You see him get underneath that bar, and you think there’s no way. And every time, he does it.”
Ostendorf has been a lifting disciple since his father, Dave, who played at Glenbard East, introduced him to it.
“My dad was always into weightlifting, so when I was younger, we got some equipment for the basement, and I just kind of stuck with it,” Ostendorf said. “Football was a motivator too. I wanted to get bigger and stronger for football.”
Ostendorf did, but his dad made sure he used the correct technique.
“That was a pretty crucial part when I first started,” Ostendorf said. “I’m not pushing any weight before I get the form down. You don’t need injuries when you’re still growing.”
Fitzgerald was immediately impressed by Ostendorf’s approach.
“He definitely came in with a more advanced lifting program than most freshmen,” Fitzgerald said. “You try to teach them the basics, but he already had that stuff pretty polished and was putting heavy weight on as a freshman.
“You have to have a consistent approach, and he doesn’t miss days. Even when we’re off on break, he’s doing his own thing, doing these extra competitions.”
Indeed, Ostendorf enjoys competing in powerlifting competitions. He set national records in the 100-kilogram class for the 16-17 age group at an APF event in Aurora in May.
“That was really cool,” he said. “It was a fun experience, for sure. I’ve been doing the same workout regimen for eight years now, so it’s more or less repetition at this point and it’s kind of built up over time. I’ve stuck with the core lifts.”
Ostendorf is once again a core member of the Dukes’ vaunted defense. As one of just three returning starters, he’s filling an even bigger role this season, which York started with a 35-17 win against Glenbrook South on Friday.
“I’m still working on taking up that role as the vocal leader,” he said. “My teammates last year did a fantastic job of keeping everybody enthusiastic regardless of the circumstance.
“I think that’s something I want to keep up with, following in their footsteps. Twelve weeks of football can get really tiring, but when you have guys like that really keeping everybody pumped up, it really helps.”
Ostendorf is always pumped to play football, and he wants to do it as long as possible. He has offers from the University of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon, Oberlin and Valparaiso, but Fitzgerald said more should be coming.
“A lot of these coaches have a certain height in mind that they want for a linebacker spot, so the recruiting process has been a little slower for him because of that measurable, and other coaches are still waiting to see some senior tape,” Fitzgerald said. “When you turn on the tape, there’s no question he’s one of the best linebackers in the state, if not the best.
“Whoever gives him that opportunity is going to be really happy with that decision because he’s a heck of a football player, and the heart that he’s got is something you can’t find in most kids.”
Ostendorf knows he will get a chance.
“I understand the height,” he said. “That’s out of my control. I love football, so I just want to play at the next level regardless. I just want to play and go to a good school.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.