Kilgore's Morris dedicates last competition to late son
By MITCH LUCAS sports@kilgorenewsherald.com

Photo by Lester Murray ONE MORE TIME - Kilgore's Mickey Morris (left), a bodybuilder for 13 years, was to take part in his final bodybuilding show as a competitor on Saturday night in Longview at the Jimmy Coby Classic at T.G. Field Auditorium. Morris, 54, said he is dedicating his performance in the show to his late son, Matthew.

Mickey Morris has been picking himself up all of his life, but two years ago, following the death of his youngest son, the elder Morris had a hard time.

"Man, I had a big support group," Morris confesses, "and without that, I don't know if I could have made it."

Morris, now 54, is returning to bodybuilding after a two-year sabbatical, "one more for the road," so to speak. Morris will compete in Saturday's Jimmy Coby Classic, the fourth annual bodybuidling exhibition at T.G. Field Auditorium at 400 North Second Street in Longview. Tickets are $15, and the actual show for the crowd will begin at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, although Morris will be there that morning for judging.

The event is sanctioned by the National Gym Association, a Masters pro-qualifier.

Morris is dedicating what he says will be his final competition to his son, Matthew, who committed suicide in 2006. Matt Morris was an offensive lineman on the Kilgore High School team that won the Class 4A Division II state championship in football in 2004.

His father speaks fondly of his son, now, looking back on Matt's sense of humor.

"He could make anybody laugh," Mickey said Thursday, with a smile. "He could put a smile on your face."

This weekend's show will be Morris's 21st competition in 13 years. In various divisions over the first 20 competitions, Morris has done quite well, finishing with 17 first-place awards, 11 secondplace finishes, six thirds and two fifth-places.

"This year," he explains, "where I place has no bearing on me doing this. I don't really care where I place. But I want to dedicate this to Matthew's memory, and go out with one good show.

"I also want to thank my family. For 13 years, they've put up with my schedule, and everything I have to do to get ready for these. I really, really want to thank them. They've been just great."

The Morris family, actually, will all play a role in this weekend's Coby Classic. Mickey's wife, Sharon, whom he met at this same show in 2005, will film the event. His oldest son, Daniel, an offensive coordinator at Danville High School (Ark.) football program, as well as nephew Jakady Player, will help expedite the show (make sure the competitors get on stage timely, and other things) and his sister, Sheri Lee, is the show's music coordinator. His daughter, Sara, supports him, as well.

Saturday night's event will last about three hours, and will feature 14 different classes, based not only on weight but also on experience. There will be men and women competitors.

They are observed by seven judges, who look for things like overall symmetry, muscularity, and hardness.

Morris got into bodybuilding almost by chance in 1994.

"I had recently divorced," he recalled, "and I was working out at the (Kilgore College) fitness center when I met Alan McGill, a trainer."

McGill convinced Morris to allow him to train him, and his interest took off from there. He competed in his first bodybuilding show in June, 1994, and finished second. "I was hooked from there," he said, "just developing friendships with other competitors, and with the idea of being healthy."

Morris is down to 197 1/2 pounds for this competition. Before he began preparing for it back in January, he weighed 227 pounds.

His regular, everyday diet consists of not three large meals but several small ones. For instance, on Thursday, he began the day early with 12 egg whites and two grapefruits. He had eight ounces of grilled chicken breast and another grapefruit for another mini-meal, and drank a meal replacement shake, a protein-carbohydrate combo, for another, along with rice cakes, then repeated those patterns.

On Saturday, he said he'll drink a cup of coffee early, have more egg whites, stay away from drinking a lot of water and won't drink the meal replacement shakes.

After a show, after training for so long, does Morris "pig out?" Not really, he said.

"I don't go and order a bunch of cheeseburgers, or anything," he said. "I just kind of have to ease back into it."

Morris says the thought of no longer being an active competitor doesn't bother him, simply because he's had a successful career.

"Plus, I can still be around it, helping backstage and what not," he said. "I've got no complaints. This last one is for Matt, not me. And it's been a good ride."