2014 Lifetime Service Award
2014 Lifetime Service Award

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2014 Lifetime Service Awards

JEFF BARKSDALE
He was a standout wrestler at Chaffey High School where he won both the CIF Southern Section and State Championship his senior year. Jeff attended Cal Poly where he became an NCAA Division I All-American. Jeff coached at San Luis Obispo High School and also coached the Gold Medal Wrestling Club for 20 years. He also founded the Meathead Wrestling Club and has been a coach and program director for the past 10 years. During this time the Meathead Wrestling Club has raised over $200,000 to support wrestling in the Central Coast area and introduced wrestling for the first time to over 600 kids.

RAYMOND HERNANDEZ
He wrestled at Corcoran High School and was a two-time league champion, team captain, and CIF Division Champion. He was a conference champion at College of the Sequoias and continued his wrestling at San Francisco State University where he was a Far Western Conference Champion and team captain. Raymond coached at Mt. Whitney High School for 13 years and his team won a league championship. He coached many individuals to league titles, and section or divisional titles. He became the coach at Buchanan High School and then Wilson Middle School in Exeter. He was a club coach many years with California USA Wrestling.

HOWARD McCARLEY
He wrestled at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale and continued at Foothill College. After serving our country in the Air Force for four years, he began a 40-year career officiating wrestling. He officiated all of the major tournaments in the Fresno area including the Doc Buchanan and Zinkin Tournaments. He also officiated 13 State CIF Championships and was a CIF Evaluator of Officials for five years. He moved to Idaho where he continued officiating wrestling and has officiated their regional tournaments and the Idaho State Tournament. Howard also officiated football in the Fresno area for 34 years.

GARY MEISSNER
At Whittier College he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education and Master’s Degree in Education. He began his coaching career there as freshman football coach and head wrestling coach. After 6 years at Bolsa Grande High School, Gary became the head wrestling coach at Cuesta College and had a very successful career with the Cougars in an outstanding program as evidenced by the performance of the wrestlers on the mat and as students. His teams won 7 league titles and he coached over 60 state community college placers. In 1980 his team won the California Community College Small College Division Championship.

DOUG PERRIN
He wrestled at Highland High School in North Bakersfield and won the CIF Central Section Championship. Doug was assistant coach at Cuesta College and Atascadero High. In 1980 he started the Arroyo Grande Youth Wrestling Program which has invol- ved over 1000 kids. His 40-year career as a wrestling official since 1975 includes 30 CIF-SS Division Tournaments, 20 CIF-SS Masters Meets and 3 CIF State Meets. He officiated community college and Cal Poly matches for several years and was evalua- tor of officials at the State Meet for the past 5 years. He was President of the Southern California Wrestling Officials Association.

DAN PRY
He was a Southern Section CIF Champion in 1985, then wrestled for Cal Poly’s National Championship team. He coached wrestling for 9 years at Newberry Park HS and earned the Distinguished Service Award at the 1984 Olympics. When Dan came to Atascadero HS in 1983, they had not won recognition in wrestling for many years. Since his arrival they have won the league championship almost every year and won 7 CIF individual and dual meet championships and been runners-up 6 times. He coached 148 CIF-SS medalists and 7 CIF State Placers. He has built, established and nurtured a framework for wrestling in the Atascadero community.

HOWARD ZINK
He wrestled at North Salinas High, Hartnell Junior College where he was a conference champion and Outstanding Wrestler, and Cal Poly. He coached at Washington Union High School with a career record of 328-113-2. He developed a small school into a wrestling powerhouse, winning 6 CIF Sequoia-Sierra Section Championships. He has coached 13 league championship teams, 53 individual CIF Central Section Sequoia–Sierra Champ- ions and 13 CS Masters Champions. Howard was on the CIF State Wrestling Advisory Committee for 6 years, was a league representative to the CIF for 18 years, and was an assistant football coach for 17 years.

2014 Inductees
2014 Inductees

2014 Hall of Fame Inductees

Rod BalchRODNEY BALCH – video | interview
He was a CIF Central Section and State CIF Champion while wrestling at Clovis High School. He attended Fresno City College where he was a Community College State Champion. Rod attended Cal State Bakersfield where he won three conference championships. He coached wrestling at Clovis High School from 1982-1995, where his teams won seven Central Section Championships and six State Championships. He coached 29 state placers.

 


Dennis BardsleyDENNIS BARDSLEY – video | interview
At Petaluma HS, Dennis was a NCS Champion and 4th at Northern CA Championships. At Santa Rosa Junior College, he won JC State & was Outstanding Wrestler. He was a JC All-American and SRJC Athlete of the year. He wrestled for Cal Poly and was 2nd in the NCAA Western Region. He won or placed in National Championships in Freestyle, GrecoRoman & Sombo and was an alternate on the 1978 USA GrecoRoman World team. Dennis coached 35 years (19 as head coach), and his teams won 216 duals, 11 League/City championships & a GrecoRoman National Team Championship for CA USA Wrestling.


FRED BOHNA – video |
He attended Clovis High school where he was a league champion, and CIF Central Section Champion. Fred placed second at the State CIF Championships as a junior and as a senior he won the State Championship. He attended UCLA where he was a PAC-10 Conference Champion. Fred won the NCAA Division I Heavyweight Championship. He placed 2nd in the World Cup and he won the Pan American Wrestling Championship.

 


Vern BrooksVERN BROOKS – video |
He started his coaching career at Springs, Wyoming where his 1953 team won the Wyoming State High School Championship. He moved to California in 1954 and coached at Madera High School until 1965. At Madera his teams won two Northern California Championships, five Central Section Championships and coached 27 Section Champions. In 1957 his Madera Team produced five Northern California Champions. He was previously recognized by the California Wrestling Hall of Fame with a Lifetime Service Award.

 


AL KIDDY – video |
He was an outstanding three sport athlete in high school as well as at the University of Oklahoma. He wrestled for two legendary coaches in Port Robinson (wrestling) and Bud Wilkerson (Football). Al coached at Hughson High School where his team won the Tri-Valley Championship three times. He coached at Madera High School where his teams won six league championships, two divisional and two CIF Central Section Championships. Al also served as an assistant coach at Fresno City College for nine years.


Corky NapierCORKY NAPIER – video | interview
Corky wrestled at Madera High school where he was coached by Vern Brooks, Al Kiddy and Max Burch. He attended Fresno City College where he was a two-time Valley Conference Champion. He attended Fresno State where he was a PCAA Champion two times. Corky coached at University High School in San Diego as well as at Madera High School where his teams won 7 league championships and twice won the Valley Championship. He coached 55 league champions, 32 Section Champions and 7 State Champions. Corky has also officiated wrestling for many years.


Kent OlsonKENT OLSON – video | interview
He wrestled at Mt. San Antonio College and Cal State Fullerton where he was a two-time letterman. He coached high school wrestling for 31 years, primarily at Lemoore High School where his coaching record was 331-32-1. His teams won 16 Valley Championships, 13 Division Championships and he coached 4 CIF State Champions. In 2006 Kent became the head wrestling coach at West Hills College. His teams have won 3 Conference and 2 Regional Championships. He has been named the wrestling coach of the year 7 times. He now serves as the President of California Community College Wrestling.


Nick QuintanaNICK QUINTANA – video | interview
He poured the foundation for what was and still is one of the toughest small schools (Selma High School) in the state. He produced many champion wrestlers including three State CIF Champions in Robert Zapata, Gary Quintana and Nicky Quintana. Coach Nick won 9 straight Division II Valley Championships and a CIF Section Championship between 1985-93. His Selma teams had four Top-10 finishes at the CIF State Tournament including a 2nd place. He is very proud of having started the Selma Freestyle Wrestling Club and starting wrestling at Roosevelt Middle School.


Adam TirapelleADAM TIRAPELLE – video | interview
He was an outstanding high school wrestler, winning four league and CIF Section Championships, three at Hiram Johnson and one at Buchanan High School. Adam was a three-time finalist at the State CIF Championships and winner of two. He attended the University of Illinois where he is the career record holder for falls and career runner-up for wins with 127. Adam was a three time All American, a Big-10 Conference Champion and NCAA Division I Champion. He was selected as the Athlete of the Year at Illinois. Adam has coached with his Dad, Steve for the past 10 years at Clovis HS.


Steve TirapelleSTEVE TIRAPELLE – video | interview
He wrestled at Ponderosa High School and continued his wrestling at American River College and Humboldt State University where he became a NCAA Division II All American. He started his coaching career at Hiram Johnson High School in Sacramento and is now in his 17th year at Clovis High School. His coaching record includes 23 league championships, 23 State Champions and over 30 state finalists. His teams have won six State CIF Championships. Steve is very proud of his three sons who have won eight State Championships.

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