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‘The Price of stop and it was a Legacy Wrestling challenging time,” “I used everything I learned growing up in erry and with a Dynasty’ Leonard commented. in the sport of wrestling to complete this important is a docudrama He went on to say, pro ect. est assured this film is not ust a pat on the film, completed “Fortunately, all by Perry native of the other team bac for erry Wrestling it tells a much bigger story. Chance Leonard loved and It honors the tate of lahoma, the sport of wrestling members and his One Degree believed in the projand the attributes the sport teaches, as well as the Modern Media team. ect and wanted to The film gained continue.” champions and the town and people of erry.” national and interThe production national attention team started interhance eonard, he rice of egacy and has gone on to views in February win the Franklin of 201 and a few nternational ndie months later began Film Festival’s the editing process. Tennessee est Film award. This went on for the following 1 The docudrama provides months. an ‘illustrious history’ of the n 2020, when CO D hit, sport of wrestling and also production was once again halted. zeroes in on the people and They were, however, able to town of Perry itself...a comadapt to the circumstances by ‘... munity that boasts the most utilizing virtual platforms to conprolific winning streak in all tinue.’ of sports. The film was finished in early The Perry Maroon Wrestling 2021. program has won an incredible “The final step was negotiating 43 state team titles, the most and reaching a distribution deal of any high school program with a reputable Distributor,” in national history, and is one Leonard explained. of just four programs in the From start to finish, this film country to have posted over has ‘consumed’ four and a half 1,000 dual meet wins. years of Leonard’s life. Leonard credits his time “ learned so much during this in Perry as a primary influtime and am grateful that God laid ence for becoming who he this on my heart to complete.” has become and what he has The uestion that gets answered accomplished. in this film is, ‘Why has this small He acclaims, “My film town been so successful ’ recognizes excellence and t is narrated by Grammy nomitradition, what real legacy and nated and multi-platinum recordcommunity look like, and how a legacy is built. We ing artist Trace Adkins. live in a world that is often ‘win at all cost’ and this “Making this film was extremely hard but well film will show the other side of the coin.” worth it,” Leonard ueried. “The project has conLeonard and partner ruce Luizzi assembled their sumed the last four years of my life. Frankly, this first production crew during the summer of 2016, is the most profound way can say thank you to the starting filming during the 2016-17 wrestling season. sport of wrestling, my family, coaches, mentors, The pair came to a standstill however, after a few teammates and friends who helped me achieve on the hindrances halted progress. mat and in life. “After almost nine months, we did not agree with The film has been released for rent or purchase on our original Director on the direction of the project multiple streaming outlets, including Amazon Prime, and we parted ways amicably. Shortly after, our iTunes and GooglePlay. first Producer sadly passed away. We were at a full www.pwmpark.org
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100 years of Perry Wrestling...100 years of climbing to the top and holding tight to tradition while paving the way for future generations to compete and con uer... To commemorate this momentous occasion, the Perry Wrestling Foundation PWF has planned a celebration reunion weekend to be filled with ‘...fun, reminiscing and reconnecting’ with everyone who has been part of the Maroons’ iconic wrestling program.
Schedule of events and times olf Tournament Friday, June 24, there will be a golf tournament set to take place at the Perry Golf Country Club at 3 or 5 30 p.m. There will be six person teams playing a 9-hole scramble tournament, which includes dinner and prizes to the top teams. This includes a meal after the completion of your round of golf. Charge is a 50 per person entry
fee. Registration is necessary. Register online https www.pwmpark.org A special 12pm tee time is available for reunion attendees. Green fee for the 9 holes is 30 and includes a cart. Register by contacting Mark Kirk at mkirk 11 cox. net.
Picnic in the Park and Cornhole Tournament On Saturday, June 25 there will be a picnic and cornhole tournament held at the Perry Wrestling Monument Park Picnic and historic Courthouse S uare in downtown Perry. This will be a casual, fun event and will be a great chance to visit and enjoy downtown eateries, entertainment, shopping, and more. ‘Picnic at the Park’ will take place from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and the Cornhole Tournament will be at 10 a.m. There is a 20 entry fee for a two-person team in the Cornhole Tournament. isitors can also tour the alumni center, see the latest updates to the Perry Wrestling Monument Park, and ride the Gravitron Amusement Ride at no charge. ring your lawn chairs and relax, reminisce, and enjoy all the events downtown Perry Food and Snack ooth will be available on the oble County Courthouse Lawn. o registration necessary! ring your appetite! Saturday, June 25, 10am to 1pm. Lady Maroon Wrestling will be serving delicious pulled pork sandwiches, hotdogs, snacks, deserts, beverages, and more! Proceeds to benefit Perry Lady Maroons Takedown Club.
Perry Wrestling Foundation
Mobile DJ Garrett Ebersole will also be present on the oble County Courthouse Lawn The public is invited to bring lawn chairs and enjoy music, meet Perry’s outh MS HS girls and boy wrestlers, coaches, special guests, and more. Axe Throwing… 1 93 Axe House o registration necessary! Free of charge! Compliments of Perry Wrestling Foundation. Terrific opportunity to try your hand at axe throwing Saturday, June 25, 10am to 1pm. The Graviton will be located at the oble County Courthouse Lawn. This ride will be free of charge. Children of all ages will want to try this amusement ride, Saturday, June 25, 10am to 1pm. Cornhole Tournament will take place on the oble County Courthouse Lawn. Registration is necessary for this event. Register and pay entry fee online https www.pwmpark.org . Two-person teams to compete Saturday, June 25. Tournament begins at 10am. Professionally run and directed by oble County ackroad Cornhole. This is a chance for you and a partner to test your skills and see who earns bragging rights and takes home the top prize! Cost is 20 per two-person team.
Casino ight ‘Casino ight’ where players will be using ‘fun money’ to play lackjack, Craps, Roulette and other table games that will be available. Professional dealers will work the tables. ‘Casino ight’ will take place from 7 - 10 p.m. at 104 Fir Street, Jon’s Place, formerly known at Perry Elks Lodge. There will be a drawing for prizes, hors d’oeuvres and a DJ. There is a 25 per person initial buy-in and one drink ticket will be included in the price of admission, with a cash bar available. Registration is necessary. Register and purchase tickets online at https www.pwmpark.org
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There will be showings of ‘The Price of Legacy Wrestling with a Dynasty’ at the Heritage Center Registration is not re uired but recommended as seating is limited for each showtime. Reserve your seat to this award-winning documentary about Perry Wrestling by registering at https www.pwmpark.org . Free of charge! Showtimes are 12pm and 2pm Saturday, June 25.
Tour Historic John Divine Hall and ew Maroon Athletic Center, as well as other memorable wrestling locations. Stroll through 100 ears of Perry Wrestling History in historic downtown Perry and visit the Maroon Wrestling Monument park. isit the Perry High School Alumni Association and reminisce, visit with former classmates, and remember your roots Saturday, June 25, 10am to 1pm. Tour the historic John Divine Hall, Saturday, June 25, 2pm to 4pm. Stroll through at your own pace. Also visit the Maroon Athletic Center MAC . o registration necessary! Free of charge. Tour the new home of the Maroons, the Maroon Athletic Center MAC Saturday, June 25, 2pm to 4pm. at your own pace, enjoy the new home of the Maroons.
Wrestling Centennial Celebration an uet 6 p.m. - Centennial Celebration an uet at the Lower Elementary School. There will be a plated meal, and a limited number of seats in the first row. The first row seat will be 100 each with remaining seats at 50 seats. Special guest speakers will include Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the ational Wrestling Hall of Fame; Congressman Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma Chapter of the ational Wrestling Hall of Fame nductee; Rich ender, Executive Director of USA Wrestling; and, Keynote Speaker will be John ardis, national Wrestling Hall of Fame Outstanding American nductee. Registration and ticket purchase is necessary. Select desired seating and purchase tickets online https www.pwmpark.org to attend the Centennial Celebration an uet, Saturday, June 25. an uet begins at 6pm. This festive event will include a delicious plated meal catered by
Click’s Steakhouse. nspiring presentations from esteemed guest speakers who all have a true love for the sport of wrestling! To purchase tickets with credit card, go online https www.pwmpark.org . Click Centennial Celebration, click Schedule of Events or click Purchase Centennial Celebration Event Tickets to select preferred seating. To purchase tickets with check, go online https www.pwmpark. org . Click Centennial Celebration, or Schedule of Events, and then click Print and Mail PWF Centennial Celebration Registration Form. Make checks payable to Perry Wrestling Foundation and mail completed form and check to Perry Wrestling Foundation, PO ox 55, Perry, OK 73077. uestions about the events, please call Roger Tetik 5 0.370.575 or Mark Kirk 405.315.3501 .
Centennial Celebration an uet seating options Maroon an uet Tables Front row seating 100 per seat with limited seats available
White an uet Tables Remaining Tables 50 per seat
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Maroon wrestling oa hes and the lessons they left ehind
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A Perry alum has been the head coach of the Perry Maroon wrestling team approximately 90 of the 100 years Perry has fielded a team, including a streak of 0 years from 1932 to 2011. t all began in 1922 when Perry graduate Frank riscoe was approved to become the very first full-time Maroon wrestling coach. Since these humble beginnings Perry has dominated in the sport of wrestling, a string of coaches leading the way to a record breaking 43 team championships...more than any other team in the nation. Wrestling became an official sport at Perry High School when Frank riscoe introduced the program.
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Perry Wrestling Foundation
Maroon coaches, then and now Frank riscoe, a Perry High School graduate and former Oklahoma A M wrestler, started the Perry High School program in the 1922-23 school year. riscoe, left Perry during the 192 -29 season. The Maroons had a 416-2 record under riscoe. Kenneth Coldiron was the team captain and the acting coach in the 192 -29 season while Uel Leach was completing his college oa degree. Perry finished with a 7-2 9 record under Coldiron. Uel Leach graduated from Stillwater High School before wrestling at Oklahoma A M. Leach coached two seasons and finished with a 12-4 dual record. John Divine, a Perry High School graduate and national runner-up at Oklahoma A M took over Perry Wrestling in the 1931-32 season and led the Maroons for the next 30 years. Divine led Perry to two state titles before winning his 3rd state championship in 1961, his final year as a coach and the first year Oklahoma was divided into two classes. Divine compiled a dual record of 214-92-6 and coached 27 individual state champions. Divine was inducted into the Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1967 and inducted into the Oklahoma Chapter of the ational Wrestling Hall of Fame in 199 . Rex Edgar, also a graduate of PHS, earned All-American honors at OU before leading the Perry wrestling program for eight years 1962 through 1969 . Perry won six state titles with 24 individual state champions and a 59-19-4 dual record under Edgar. n 1973, Edgar was inducted into the Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame and in 2015, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Chapter of the ational Wrestling Hall of Fame. Leonard Shelton, PHS grad and AllAmerican at OU led the Maroons in two different stints as the head coach. n Shelton’s first stint 1970-79 , Perry finished as state runner-up in 1970 and then reeled off nine straight state titles. Shelton came back to coach the Maroons to a state title in 1995, giving him 10 state titles in 11 years of coaching. Shelton coached 41 individual state champions and finished with a dual record of 6-40-2. Shelton was inducted into the Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1995 and inducted into the Oklahoma Chapter of the ational Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2001. Terry Leonard, a national champion at
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Lamar Junior College and wrestler at Michigan State University, coached Perry for two years and won state titles both years 19 0 and 19 1 . He coached six state champions and had a dual record of 2 -5. Leonard was the junior high coach who fed the high school teams during their run of state titles in the 1970s. Fred Waltermire, a 1960 PHS graduate and member of the OU wrestling team was head coach two different times. Waltermire coached the Maroons to two runner-up finishes in 19 2 and 19 3. He returned as head coach from 1991 to 1994, winning two state championships and one dual state title. Waltermire coached six individual champions and his teams compiled a 74-27-1 dual record. Steve Randall, a two-time state champion for Perry and two-time All-American for OSU, coached the Maroons from 19 4 to 1990. Randall led Perry to three team titles and a 1-26-1 dual record. He coached 11 individual state champions. Randall was inducted into the Oklahoma Chapter of the ational Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016. Scott Chenoweth, a three-time state
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champion for the Maroons and three-time All-American for ebraska coached Perry from 1996 to 2011. n his 16 years as a head coach, Perry won a total of 27 state championships. The Maroons won 12 state titles, 11 Dual State titles and four academic state championships under Chenoweth. He coached 42 individual state champions and amassed a dual record of 263-76. n 2011, Chenoweth was inducted into the Oklahoma Chapter of the ational Wrestling Hall
of Fame. Ronnie Delk, was the first non-Perry alum to coach the Maroons since 1931, when he was named head coach in 2012. Delk served as Scott Chenoweth’s assistant from 200 - 2011 and helped lead Perry to four state championships and three dual state titles. Delk served as head coach from 2012 until 2019 and during that time, led Perry to five state championships and eight dual state titles while coaching 16 individual state champions. He steered the Maroons to a stellar 141-19 dual record including Perry’s historic 1000th dual win in 2019. Laddie Rupp just completed his third season as head coach of Perry Wrestling. Rupp, a 2009 PHS graduate, was a four-time state champion under Scott Chenoweth and compiled a 163-13 career record with a school record 106 falls. Under Rupp, Perry has one state runner-up finish and has won two district titles to ualify for dual state. Rupp has coached five individual state champions and six other state placers, including Perry’s first girls state placer.
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Going 46-0 in his wrestling career as a Sooner at University of Oklahoma, winning three national championships and a silver medal from the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, and becoming a charter member of the ational Wrestling Hall of Fame are only few of Dan Hodge’s legendary accomplishments in the sport of wrestling. Hodge attended OU from 1955 through 1957. n 1957, he became the only wrestler ever featured on the cover of Sports llustrated magazine. He is one of just two college wrestlers to win three CAA titles by fall. As a boxer in the 1950s, Hodge won the golden gloves, which had never been accomplished by some-
Perry Wrestling Foundation
one who won a wrestling championship. For 1 -years, after his college wrestling career, Hodge was a professional wrestler. He became known for his legacy as a true icon in wrestling and famous for his ability to crush an apple with his bare hand. The great Dan Hodge left behind a legacy that continues to inspire younger generations and pave the way for future wrestlers with a passion for the sport. The Dan Hodge Trophy, known as the college wrestling e uivalent to the Heisman Trophy, was established in 1995 and honors the top college wrestler every year.
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The award was established by wrestling Hall-of-Famer Mike Chapman and is presented each year by W Magazine. Seven criteria are considered for a wrestler to be awarded the Dan Hodge Trophy, including record, number of pins, dominance, past credentials, uality of competition, sportsmanship citizenship, and heart. Primarily based on the results of a single season, past accomplishments are considered as well. The Dan Hodge Foundation, created by his family, with whom he was known as a ‘devoted husband, father, grandfather and
great-grandfather’, was founded as a means to continue his legacy and give back to the ‘wrestling community, for all generations past, present and future.’ The Dan Hodge Foundation Scholarship is a 1000 scholarship opportunity open for applicants who will be college freshmen the coming academic year. Applicants must be on their school’s wrestling team that academic year to ualify. Dan Hodge carried a passion for wrestling throughout his life and this love for the sport will continue to impact future generations for years to come.
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All-State Wrestlers Name Year Weight Name ill usby 5 Colby Heppler eff Robinett avey Mason rian usby ric Leach yle linglesmith 5 Tyler Cline Carlos Terrone ary Swan Cecil eisel Hwt ach Sikes arren Huff 3 usty Ward Leon Hughes 5 Ry Fleming Scott Chenoweth Ladd Rupp Chance Leonard Stephen Swan Scott Waltermire 3 Ian Fisher Clem ockey 3 Colton allo ason Leonard Colten Leach Scott lingaman Hwt Taylor room ustin Allen amaree Swan Tom etchan 5 Matt Manley Freddie ourland 3 yle arley usty Cinnamon avid Thomas rock orndran 3 oah ida Levi archer arrett eier . . dgar Cale etchan Ryan Hartley 5 Hwt ack Lowry aniel Allen Robert Speikers Waymon May Alex alencia ryan Wilson 5 Riley Cinnamon oel Marler 3 Hadyn Redus Tony egin Teaguen Wilson Herb Polk 5 Ryan Smith Russell Caldwell ylan Avery Ryan Corn Chance avis eisel did not wrestle, he played in the All-State baseball game Waltermire did not wrestle, he reported to the aval Academy in uly Allen did not wrestle, he played in the All-State baseball game May did not wrestle due to having knee surgery Heppler did not wrestle Mason did not wrestle, he reported to West Point in uly Rupp did not wrestle arley did not wrestle State Tournament Outstanding Wrestler ame ear Weight ame llison easley 5 Scott Chenoweth Steve Randall 3 Waymon May Rick asek 3 Colby Heppler ill usby 5 avey Mason eff Robinett Ladd Rupp Cecil eisel Hwt Stephen Swan Leon Hughes 5 Ian Fisher 2
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The making of a Maroon What makes Maroon Wrestling a winning team A combination of things contribute to creating this nationally recognized team...ranging from an established tradition, reaching back to 1922 to the inherited confidence from wrestling on a team feared and respected nationwide. These things offer an advantage. Advantages also include a host of coaches and volunteers, ready at any opportunity to guide and support the young men and women of Maroon wrestling. early all coaches and volunteers have gone through the program themselves or were involved in some way and they donate their time and efforts, sharing their experiences and passing on knowledge and skills to modern day young wrestlers. Wrestling, as a sport, teaches self- reliance and initiative. Wrestlers have to battle it out on their own...it is a one on one competition. Training is strenuous, including diet, weight lifting and running and wrestlers are taught conditioning as well as strategic moves and holds. Through this training and support, in a community like Perry with tradition and confidence, champions are made. Most Perry families have a relative who benefitted from the program and every dual has stands filled with former wrestlers and their families. t is all of this that turns ordinary wrestlers into Maroon Wrestling Champions. Wrestling begins young in Perry, carrying with the adage and guidance of one late John Divine “ A child must be old enough for two things. One is to go to the bathroom by himself and the other is to mind me.” t begins with Perry outh Wrestling and Perry Wrestling Academy. outh wrestling is for young wrestlers starting at five years old until they reach middle school, where Junior high picks up. These youth wrestlers are coached by former wrestlers and are taught the basics and fundamentals of the sport, as well as how to behave sportsmanlike on and off the mat. n fact, most wrestlers winning state championships have passed through the youth programs. Maroon wrestling is a place where ‘every varsity wrestler over the past 60 years has been part of at least one state championship team.’ t’s a place that has ‘crowned 17 individual state champions, 319 other state placers and averaged . state ualifiers since 1942.’ o high school athletic program in the State of Oklahoma, regardless of size, can e ual Perry’s wrestling records. With 43 team championships, Perry is listed in the record books of the ational Federation of High School Sports as having won more state wrestling titles than any other team in the nation. n addition to the 43 state championships, the Maroons have won 20 Dual State championships and 4 Academic State titles for a total of 67 State Championships! Some notable Maroon Champions include Cecil (Woody) Beisel became one of three to win four consecutive state crowns, beginning with his first as a freshman in 1975. Cecil eisel from 1975 - 197 , Ladd Rupp from 2006 - 2009, and an Fisher from 2007 - 2010. Eleven Perry matmen have won three state championships. Jack VanBebber from oble County won an Olympic gold medal in 1932 after defeating a three time Olympic medalist. Danny Hodge’s accomplishments in the sport are beyond imagination. He was a member of the US Olympic wrestling team in Finland and Australia, where he won a silver medal and was a professional wrestler. Arthur ‘Judge’ Kretsch , captain of the 1927 team, was known as ‘one of the most remarkable records of any matman Perry High School ever produced’. He was able to place in every state meet he entered. He won third place at 100 pounds in 1924 and second in 1925, 1926 and 1927. PW or Paul Kendle was inducted into the CAA Wrestling Hall of Fame at rookings S.D. He is one of two coaches selected for the honor. Kendle compiled a record of 42 - 5 in two years at Huron College in South Dakota. He was the university’s first wrestling All-American. John St. Clair claimed Perry’s first individual state title in 1942. Scott Chenoweth, who went on to become the schools winningest wrestling coach, was Perry’s 100th state champion. Athletes like these, and several others, are the reason Perry is known as the Wrestling Capital of the World.
Perry Wrestling Foundation
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The Perry Wrestling Foundation PWF provides scholarships to graduating Perry wrestlers, maintains and improves Perry Wrestling Monument Park, assists with funds for Perry wrestlers to attend summer team camps out of state, and much, much more. PWF consists of former wrestlers, former wrestling ueens, parents, fans, and other community members that come together to promote and support Perry Wrestling. Perry Wrestling Foundation, nc. is a 501 c 3 non-profit organization. t is the Foundation’s desire to continue the tradition of Perry Wrestling. The purpose of the Perry Wrestling Foundation is to perpetuate interest, cooperation, assistance, good sportsmanship and other benefits to the wrestlers of Perry, Oklahoma.
Perry Wrestling Foundation
PWF also provides each graduating senior a token of appreciation, typically during the annual end of season wrestling ban uet. Donations can be mailed to Perry Wrestling Foundation P.O. ox 55 Perry, Oklahoma 73077 Online donations can be made by accessing the Perry Wrestling Monument PWF website, https www.pwmpark. org , scrolling to the bottom and clicking the ‘Make a donation link’ at the bottom of the page. Contributions to the foundation are used to benefit the Maroon wrestlers, including but not limited to scholarships and tournaments.
Perry Takedown Club Perry Takedown Club is made of fans and parents of Maroon Wrestling and is critical in the wrestling program. Members of the Perry Takedown Club are known to go the extra mile to make the Takedown Club successful. They host the annual golf tournament
where hundreds of fans, parents, coaches, mat maids, ueens and wrestlers are present to celebrate the Maroons. Members of the club play major role in perpetuating interest, cooperation, and other ways to encourage the Maroons. www.pwmpark.org
Lifetime Service to Perry Wrestling Awards In , the Perry Wrestling Foundation PWF created the “Lifetime Service to Perry Wrestling Award” to recogni e individuals that have gone above and beyond in their support of Perry Wrestling. The award is given in recognition of years of dedication and support to the Perry Wrestling program to a
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nominee that is or has been an active and enthusiastic supporter of any level of Perry Wrestling. Candidates must be nominated by an individual or by the PWF. Past recipients include on Huff, avid C. Mathews, Irl W. Henry, ddie Moses, Tim ingham, ale irkhart, arren and ulie Patton and Chuck Hall.
Just north of the Noble County courthouse in Perry sits the Perry Wrestling Monument Park. The park includes granite blocks with the names of every individual state champion, year-by-year listings of all Perry’s state titlewinning teams and a look at the history of the program and its coaches. There’s also the Hodge statue and a statue of Jack VanBebber along with details of the many accomplishments of Perry’s two Olympians. The Perry Wrestling Monument Park is a display of one small town’s dedication to a grand sport, something that should be a destination spot for all wrestling fans traveling through the great state of Oklahoma.
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Special Guest Keynote Speaker John Bardis A leader for his wrestling team at the niversity of Ari ona, ohn ardis took the discipline and drive he learned on the mat to become one of the nation’s most successful entrepreneurs in the healthcare profession. In addition to his ultra-successful business career, ardis has been heavily involved and influential in the sport he loves, wrestling ohn joined the sport at the age of , finishing second in the Illinois high school state championships and winning a unior ational title in reco-Roman. He won a Western Athletic Conference championship for the niversity of Ari ona. After college, he placed third in the reco-Roman lympic Trials. While ardis has thrived in the business world, he was and continues to be heavily involved in wrestling, including twice being named Team Leader for the .S. recoRoman reco World and lympic Teams. ardis was the Team Leader for the .S. reco team for the 5lympic cycle, including the historic .S. World Team, the first and only SA reco Team to win a Senior World Team title ardis was well respected by the athletes and coaches in the program for his hands-on approach and commitment in helping the team achieve the highest level of success. He also served as the Team Leader for the lympic ames held in in Tokyo. ardis served on the board of SA Wrestling from and on numerous committees within the organi ation. An example of ohn’s incredible support
Perry Wrestling Foundation
for wrestling is a SA Wrestling program first started under his leadership in 3, which has provided a championship ring to every Senior-level wrestler who has ever won an lympic or World Championships gold medal for the nited States. As part of his continuing leadership role within SA Wrestling, prior to the lympic ames, ardis hosted all three disciplines of wrestling at The Cooler, his state-of-the-art athletics center in Alpharetta, a. This was the first time all the men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle, and reco-Roman athletes, along with their coaches and training partners were able to train together prior to heading to Tokyo to represent our nation at the lympic ames. In 3, the wrestling world was shocked with the news that wrestling was being dropped as an lympic Sport, but ardis serving as a key leader in the eep lympic Wrestling campaign, raised well over million in the successful effort to retain wrestling as an lympic Sport. Also in 3, ardis received well-deserved recognition as he was inducted into the ational Wrestling Hall of Fame as an utstanding American. The Hall of utstanding Americans demonstrates wrestling’s pride in those who have used the disciplines of the sport to launch notable careers in other walks of life. In addition to his commitment to wrestling, ardis is the founder and Chairman of Hire Heroes SA, the nation’s largest veteran job placement organi ation.
Speakers Congressman Markwayne Mullin Markwayne Mullin did whatever it took to wrestle through elementary and middle school, including switching schools four times after the school he was attending canceled its wrestling program. One difficult day, his dream of wrestling at a major university came to an end because of a recurring shoulder injury. Mullin wrestled briefly at Missouri alley College before leaving to take over his family’s plumbing business. Lessons learned as a wrestler combined with a passion for the sport, which shapes an athlete’s character and imparts traits like self-motivation and perseverance, have truly shaped the individual Mullin has become. He has built successful businesses that employ over 150 Oklahomans. Mullin was elected to serve the people of Oklahoma’s Second
Congressional District in ovember 2012 and is currently serving his fifth term in office. Mullin takes every opportunity to speak to high school and college wrestling programs, sharing his story, and encouraging young wrestlers to dream big and never give up. He reminds them the importance of following through with their commitments, both in athletics and in life. Mullin’s work in the U.S. House of Representatives has earned him numerous legislative awards, and he is one of only two ative Americans serving in the House of Representatives. For setting an example of determination and tenacity, Markwayne Mullin was honored as the 2016 Outstanding American by the Oklahoma Chapter of the ational Wrestling Hall of Fame.
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Special Guest ee
oy Smith
When Lee Roy Smith stepped on the wrestling mat for the first time in the fourth grade, he started what would grow into a family sports dynasty in the state of Oklahoma. He attended Del City High school where he won two State wrestling championships compiling an overall record of 71-3. He was the first Oklahoma wrestler to win two ational Junior Freestyle Championships and drew the attention of college coaches across the country. Following high school Smith wrestled for Oklahoma State University OSU , where he won four ig Eight Conference championships, was a three-time All-American and capped his career with the 19 0 CAA championship at 142 pounds. He was the first wrestler in OSU’s storied history to reach 100 wins and was the Cowboys’ 19 0 Athlete of the ear. After college, Smith turned his attention to both coaching and competing internationally. He won three national freestyle wrestling titles and ualified for two U.S. teams for the World championships. He won a silver medal at the 19 3 World Championships of Freestyle Wrestling in Kiev, USSR and was the silver medalist in World Cup competition in 19 3 and 19 4. Lee Roy began his coaching career in 19 2 and served as an assistant coach at OSU from 19 2 to 19 7. He helped recruit his younger brother John to OSU and coached him to two All-America seasons and the first of his two CAA championships. He then went on to coach with the Swiss ational Team from 19 7-19 9 and served as USA Wrestling’s freestyle coach from 19 9 to 1992. n four years as national coach, he led four individuals to a total of six world titles including his younger brother John and fellow Oklahoman Kenny Perry Wrestling Foundation
Monday. Smith guided the USA to its best Olympic wrestling performance at the 1992 arcelona Games. The U.S. team won three gold, two silver and one bronze medal, placed all 10 weight classes in the top seven and set a record for team points. Smith also coached the USA Wrestling team at the 1997 World Championships. Smith was named the head wrestling coach at Arizona State University in 1992. He led the ASU wrestling program until 2001 and complied a 91-5 -1 record at ASU. The Sun Devils made nine CAA tournament appearances and won five Pac-10 titles under Smith’s guidance. He coached 2 All-Americans, 27 Pac10 Conference Champions and three CAA Champions. He was honored four times as Pac-10 Conference Coach of the ear and was named the national Rookie Coach of the ear for 1993. More importantly, his teams achieved the highest graduation rate of any sport on campus. Smith left coaching in 2001 and began a career in nonprofit management and fundraising. He was named the Executive Director of the ational Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in 2004. On the brink of bankruptcy when he took over, Smith has steered the organization to financial solvency, including ac uiring an additional museum, The Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, owa. Within the last decade, he has spearheaded capital campaigns that resulted in a 3. million state-ofthe-art renovation in Stillwater and 1.5 million of improvements in Waterloo. Under Smith’s leadership the WHOF has become one of the premier sports museums in the country. n 2022, Smith inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.
Speakers ich Bender Rich ender currently serves as executive director of USA Wrestling, a position he has held since 2001. Under his direction, USA Wrestling’s membership reached an alltime high, and his leadership was instrumental in preserving wrestling’s spot on the program for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. ender also led the addition of women’s wrestling to the Olympic program in 2004, and USA Wrestling’s women’s program continues to flourish under his leadership. He led the creation of a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident wrestling program for women, as well as the hiring of a national women’s coach and staff. Prior to his tenure as executive director, ender served as the associate executive director of programs at USA Wrestling, where he oversaw the organization’s events, its national teams, and developmental programs. He directly supervised major events, including the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, world cups and numerous world
dual meets. He also served as the competition manager for wrestling at the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996, where he was a recipient of the nternational Wrestling Federation’s Gold Star award. ender previously chaired the G C for six years 2010-2016 and has served in several board positions for the U.S. Olympic Endowment, U.S. Wrestling Foundation and ational Wrestling Coaches Association, among others. He is also a member of the Technical Commission of United World Wrestling, helping shape the integrity, evolution, and sustainability of the sport worldwide. n 2019, ender was appointed to the United States Olympic Paralympic Committee board of directors and began his service as a ational Governing odies Council representative. ender was elected to the Wisconsin Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015.
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Dewey Glover is one of the oldest former Maroon wrestlers, a Perry High School alumnus, graduating in 1945. He got his start in wrestling in the ninth grade. There was no particular catalyst for this decision, however; it was always something he longed to do. John Divine was his coach and remained his coach throughout the rest of his high school career. “I learned so much from John other than wrestling. He was such an honest straight forward person and I just learned a lot about life other than school and wrestling. He was a great teacher,” he explained. While John Divine inspired him in life and in the sport of wrestling, the sport itself also impacted his life in a very special way and what he gained from it carried with him through his years. Glover placed first in the district tournament in Gary, Oklahoma during his Junior and Senior years. While he was a state champion his
junior year, he was unable to compete during his senior year. “I woke up the morning we was to leave for the state tournament, to be held in Blackwell, with the mumps. This knocked me out of being a state champion for my second year. But it was lucky for the kid that won it. I beat him the year before so it was a break for him.” His favorite hold was the switch, he commented further. He explained he was so stout in his arms he found only one guy he couldn’t do the switch on and it happened to be the very last guy he wrestled. This took place in Dallas, Texas during a national tournament. “There’s a lot of difference between a state and national tournament,” he said. “I’ve never been pinned; I came close but had never been pinned. At the national tournament though, I wrestled a guy 24 years old and in the Navy He was an ex national champion and he beat me on points.” That was in 1945.
“I’ve heard it said over and over, that wrestling helps build self-esteem and self-assurance. Its only you out there, and you either do it or you don’t.” King Kirchner, Maroon Wrestler ‘45
“Wrestle. Just do it. I think it’s the greatest sport and I think it’s wonderful that someone supports that.” Dewey Glover, Maroon Wrestler ‘45
Perry native King Kirchner is one of these lucky few who have made such a mark on Maroon Wrestling history. Kirchner got his start in wrestling through his father. His father encouraged him to wrestle and Kirchner obliged, thinking the sport would ‘build his skinny body up.’ He got his start in while he was in Junior High, though he said he would have liked to started earlier. Coach John Divine served as Kirchner’s guide through the sport of wrestling, and the impact the coach had on him, and the several other wrestlers, was insurmountable. “He [John Divine] was a fine gentleman,” Kirchner said. “He really helped me.” John Divine inspired him and as a coach, had a unqiue talent. Kirchner was not one for losing; in fact, he hated it. “I want
to go back and win the state.” He didn’t win state, however, a fact that he attributes to possibly being ‘too tall and too skinny’ (he comments with a smile). “You have to focus on what youre doing and not be distracted,” he said. He adds that lesson alone, about controlling thinking, is important. “It’s an unusal, but great, sport. It’s different. I wish my two sons, Kyle and Kent, would have had the opportunity.” Wrestling gave Kirchner good guides as a parent and also aided him in the army. “I’ve had a good life and I think wrestling helped with all that. It certainly helped command men and be one of the men and be in better physical condition.” His most memorable moment on the mat: when he weighed 175-180 pounds and got hold of a guy from Tulsa who weighed
230 pounds. “He was a lot stronger than me, not as strong as Danny Hodge, though. I remember trying to move a guy that strong where I wanted him to go. I didn’t win but I didn’t get pinned. He was the heaviest I had to wrestle at the time.” He introduced himself to every youth wrestler on 16th celebration parade float in 2021 because he, “...just wanted to know them. They are the future of Perry Wrestling.” “Being a Perry wrestler means you’re part of a family.” Kirchner said during his time as a wrestler, he has talked to wrestlers from other towns and cities and there is ‘something different about wrestling in Perry.’ “Unique,” is what he called it. “Its more personal. It seemed more like doing it for the family. It seems to still be that way and I’m glad I did it.”
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Lady Maroon
Wrestling
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Perry Public School istrict was one among the first schools in the state of klahoma to added a dedicated, fully funded, and fully staffed irls Wrestling program. Lady Maroon Wrestling program officially began in the fall/winter of , marking - its first season. uring one of their first tournaments, the girls finished their inaugural tournament with an overall - match record, and all of Lady Maroon wrestlers made the medal stand. In their first ever unior High tournament, with several of the Lady Maroons wrestling for the first time in their lives, the program finished as the runner up for the team title behind A powerhouse Tulsa nion.
Maroon Wrestling sent its first ever female state ualifier in . Harley Stringer was a state ualifer in , and a state placer in . In anuary, the Lady Maroon Wrestling program uietly added the first two girls wrestling trophies ever to the Perry Maroon trophy case. These young ladies look forward to adding their own chapter to the truly ama ing history which makes Perry Wrestling so special.’ Richard avis served as the program’s first coach in ryan Wilson now serves as the current Lady Maroon Wrestling Head Coach.
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32 Perry Wrestling Foundation
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Roger Tetik
“In wrestling, you set a goal and you wor hard and do your best to achieve it.” oger eti
Russell Russell Caldwell, PHS graduate and Head Wrestling Coach for Deer Creek Public Schools, is proud of his Maroon heritage. t was in this community he was raised, developing lasting relationships that influence him currently and learning techni ues in the sport of wrestling that are uni ue to Perry. “My coaches were game and life changers. Some of them consider the most influential people in my life.” Caldwell, in his first
Roger Tetik, Perry Wrestling Foundation President, got his start in wrestling after having spent the night at a friends house. He and a few others were wrestling around and he was told he needed to go out for wrestling. The rest is history. This took place in elementary school. Two coaches that inspired him were Terry Leonard and Leonard Shelton. They inspired and motivated him for a number of reasons, least of which was because they were likable and easy-going. “They cared about us, worked with us and made it fun,” Tetik
commented. “I enjoyed the friends I made in wrestling and the trips we got to go on.” In fact, in junior high they got to go to Mexico City to compete. Wrestling helped him set goals and achieve them in life. “In wrestling, you set a goal and you work hard and do your best to achieve it.” His children were wrestlers/a mat maid and now he has grandchildren involved in wrestling. “Absolutely get into the sport,” Tetik says. “It helps with life skills and success. I was very shy and wasn’t very aggressive on the mat, and it helped me be more competitive.”
Caldwell
year leading the program, intends to make Deer Creek the standard, the banner waver, of Oklahoma high school wrestling. He goes on to share how he hopes to utilize ‘specific to Perry’ skills in his coaching. “ obody does it like Perry, from a coaching standpoint. ’ve been around a lot of programs, even in college, and there aren’t coaches or strategies like there are in Perry. t’s no wonder Perry wins state every year.”
“ o ody does it like erry, from a oa hing standpoint. I’ve een around a lot of programs, even in ollege, and there aren’t oa hes or strategies like there are in erry. It’s no wonder erry wins state every year.” ussell aldwell, urrent ead oa h, Deer reek hool www.pwmpark.org 35
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5 Maroon wrestling began in the year 1922 and through the encouragement of the school, parents and families, and the community, it has grown to be known worldwide. The list of amazing accomplishments relating to Perry Wrestling is long and well documented; a national record 43 state championships, 176 individual state champions, 1022 dual wins, 20 Dual State titles and four Academic state championships are just a few of the records that show the
ational hamps tradition and unparalleled success of the “Wrestling Capital of the World.” One record that many may not be aware of, but that could be the most impressive…and the one that will probably never be matched is the fact that HALF of OU’s 1957 national championship team was made up of wrestlers from Perry. Former Perry Wrestlers on that team were Danny Hodge, Rex Edgar, Gordon Roesler, Leonard Shelton and Don Studebaker!
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T e robe are ere o Perry’s Maroon Wrestling team was gifted twenty ‘retro-style’ robes to commemorate Perry’s 100 years of wrestling and will be worn for years to come. The process for creating these ‘one of a kind’ robes began approximately two years ago when Maroon Wrestling fan Jeff Robinett suggested providing retro-
ay
styled uniforms to current and future wrestlers. The robes were presented to the public and worn by wrestlers for the first time during their last home dual against Kingfisher during their 2021-22 season. The robes are intended for the Maroon wrestling team to wear to duals and events for years to come.
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Perry Wrestlers Hall of Famers National Name ann odge a an e er
ame Year
National Wrestling
Name ohn i ine irgil illiron eonard Shelton ill uttrell d in orr ennis rand S ott heno eth i e ir ohn lein e dgar Ste hen andall han e eonard ar ir Ton a ias Name arl an e er a an e er ordon oesler ann odge
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ame O lahoma State ha ter
Year
N
ard i etime Ser i e to Wrestling i etime Ser i e to Wrestling i etime Ser i e to Wrestling i etime Ser i e to Wrestling Outstanding meri an Outstanding meri an i etime Ser i e to Wrestling i etime Ser i e to Wrestling i etime Ser i e to Wrestling i etime Ser i e to Wrestling i etime Ser i e to Wrestling edal o ourage i etime Ser i e to Wrestling i etime Ser i e to Wrestling
ham ions areer
N
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Wrestling
Name W endle
all o
ame Year
Area WRestling Scholarships Starting with the Clem ockey Memorial Scholarship in , Perry High School wrestlers over 5 , in scholarship money from various families or organi ations related to Perry Wrestling. Wrestling in college was/is not a re uirement for these scholarships, but simply a way to keep the memory alive of someone who loved Perry Wrestling, as well as recogni e the effort of the students while wrestling for Perry High School and to help with college expenses. Wrestling related scholarships awarded include the Clem ockey Memorial Scholarship, usby All-State
3 Perry Wrestling Foundation
Scholarship, irgil Milliron Memorial Scholarship, Tony Macias Memorial Scholarship, and Leon Hughes, Sr. Memorial Scholarship. While funds for the above-mentioned scholarships came from donations from the respective families, Perry Wrestling Foundation PWF , relying solely on monetary donations, has made certain that each senior PHS wrestler is awarded a scholarship at graduation. PWF is a 5 c 3 organi ation and as such, all contributions are tax deductible and are greatly appreciated and welcomed
Nick Kendle and the Sundance Kids orn and raised in Perry, ick Kendle started wrestling in first grade with John Divine as his first coach. High school wrestlers and parents helped Divine with the youth program and young wrestlers, including ick, traveled to wrestle in tournaments. As a kid he attended all the matches he could. He spent time watching former Maroon Wrestlers Leon Hughes and Tony Macias, the pair inspiring him to become an athlete in the sport. He also had relatives who excelled in wrestling. ick wrestled in Perry throughout his school career until he moved to Arizona when he was 16 years old. He attended Casa Grande Union High School in Arizona and the year he moved there, it was the school’s first year they had a wrestling program. This offered ick the opportunity to experience being a coach wrestler due to the knowledge he gained during his youth in Perry. That opportunity introduced him to the idea of working with kids later on. ick was undefeated both years in
Arizona. During college, he competed in a lot of open tournaments. He did not get to finish his college wrestling career due to two debilitating knee injuries. He didn’t let this deter him, however. “Wrestling was my passion,” ick said. After he healed, he went back and wrestled more open tournaments in Arizona. He was in his 20s during this time. He also served as a volunteer coach at the Casa Grande Junior High and High School. “Wrestling makes people mentally and physically tough but it also builds character,” ick explained. “Wrestlers tend to have good character.” When starting Sundance Kids, it was not only to teach them about wrestling but to also teach them about life and using what is gained from wrestling. “Wrestling is all about giving back to the sport and to the kids who want to do this through their life...showing them the rewards of wrestling,” ick said on wrestling youth.
“Wrestling is all about giving bac to the sport and to the ids who want to do this through their life...showing them the rewards of wrestling.” ic Kendle, former Wrestler
the Sundance Kids Sundance Kids came to fruition after ick saw a need for a statewide youth wrestling organization. n 1979 he started the Arizona Sundance Kids. Sundance Kids is a youth wrestling program for ages 5 - 1 years of age and was opened up for youth across the state. Several program attendees have grown to become coaches with
their own programs promoting youth wrestling. Others have wrestled at state and national levels. n 19 , Arizona State University won a national college wrestling championship in which five members of the team were previous participants of Sundance Kids. The program, still active, is very diverse and opens the door for wrestling scholarships. www.pwmpark.org
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Fun Facts.
A common conditioning exercise was for the coaches to haul the wrestlers in the back of a pick-up and drop them off several miles out in the country and have them run back to school. n 1970, Craig Kemnitz and Ted Crawford were not in the mood to run when a one-man railroad motor car that inspects the line came by. The two hopped aboard and rode into town, getting off just before the school and then ran on in. n 1996, Kemnitz ualified for and ran the 26-mile oston Marathon. Frank riscoe was the first wrestling coach at Perry. While serving as wrestling coach, he also coached football and girl’s basketball. Dewey Glover was a two-time Geary champion and defending state champion with a two-year record of 25-2-1 when he contracted the mumps and had to miss the 1945 state tournament. Half of OU’s 1957 ational Championship team was made up of wrestlers from Perry. Don Studebaker was a national ualifier. All-Americans included, Leonard Shelton - 4th, Rex Edgar - 3rd, Goose Roesler - 3rd and national champion Danny Hodge who was also voted OW of the tournament .
n 195 , the State Tournament was held in the new John Divine Hall. Crowds were good and standing room was at a premium on the final night as an overflow crowd of 2,000 came to watch the finals. n 1959, Perry once again hosted the State Tournament and a record crowd of 2,300 attended the finals on Saturday night. Three Perry wrestlers helped the Oklahoma City MCA win the 1945 AAU ational Wrestling Tournament. Jess Kirk placed 2nd, Dee Oden finished 4th after being forced out by an injury and Dewey Glover was a national ualifier. For many years, John Divine held an intraclass tournament before the wrestling season to create competition among the classes and to find wrestlers for the upcoming season. obby Lowry was a three-time state ualifier and a state runner-up as a junior, but injured his knee and was unable to compete in the Regional Tournament as a senior in 1964.
Perry Wrestling Foundation
The information below was taken from the 1927 yearbook The Peroma . “Frank risco is an athlete of state wide renown and experience. While attending college in Stillwater, he held for three successive years the state wrestling championship for the 145 and 15 pound weights. “He also held the Southwestern championship in these weights and competed in the Olympic tryouts, being defeated by amateur champion Wanna Tikka. riscoe is a native of Perry. He graduated from Perry High School in 1917. He entered Oklahoma A M where he studied agriculture and chemistry. After receiving his degree he returned to Perry High as an instructor in agriculture and chemistry. riscoe is considered one of the state’s best wrestling coaches and is chairman of the State Wrestling Control oard. His years in Perry High as student, instructor and coach have been unusually successful.”
There have many great duals over the years in John Divine Hall. One of the most electrifying moments was the 1971 Perry- lackwell Homecoming dual. t was a packed house and lackwell jumped to a 17-0 lead, but Perry stormed back with victories by Dan Wilkerson, Steve Randall, Rick asek, ill Hughes and Dan Jackson. The stage was set and the gym erupted when Don ourland pinned his opponent to forge the only tie in the historic Perry- lackwell series. CAA All-American Roger Frizzell Midwest City in the finals of the Geary Tournament. n 1974, the riscoe-Divine Award was started. This award was presented to the top senior each year. A point system was used that included grade point average and wrestling accomplishments. Due to limited documentation the only known recipients are 1974 ill usby, 1975 - Wade rorsen, 1976 - Jeff Robinett, 1977 - Kyle Klinglesmith, 197 - Cecil eisel, and 1979 - Darren Huff. n 1963, the Maroons crowned five state champions, but were denied a sixth title when obby Lowry was defeated 2-0 by future CAA champion and state tournament OW, David McGuire of Sand Springs. otes from rl Henry’s brackets were emphatic that Lowry had been robbed of a takedown during the match. n 1970, the U.S. Wrestling Federation named Terry Henry the Outstanding Wrestler in 16-1 age group for Oklahoma.
n 1954, th grader Tony Macias future state champion scored 37 points in a basketball game for St. Joseph’s.
n June 19 4, Terry Leonard, Tony Macias, other adults, and 15 wrestlers raised money and went to a tournament in Mexico City. Wrestlers making the trip were; Richard Agee, Eric Avery, Tom etchan, Troy etchan, Paul Cockrum, Mark Kimbrell, Matt Kimbrell, Chance Leonard, Jason Leonard, Monte Melton, David Macias, David Shelton, Mike Stahl, Greg Wyant, and Clem ockey. A classic dual that had John Divine Hall rocking took place in December 2009, when the 4A state champion Tuttle Tigers took on the Maroons. Falls by Matt Manley, Jerry Tyler, an Fisher and Colton Gallo along with key victories by Taylor Groom and Hayden Workman over state placers gave Perry the early lead. Jamaree Swan and Anthony Lopez saved team points as each was facing a 2x state champ, but they did not give up big bonus points. The stage was set and everyone was on their feet as Steven nselman took on the Tigers state ualifier in the final match of the night. nselman scored a dramatic 3rd period fall to give Perry the six team points needed to pull out the 36-34 victory! Divine was proud of a remark made by Oklahoma A M coach, Art Griffith at the 1955 State Tournament when Griffith stated “Those Perry wrestlers were the best conditioned boys ’ve ever seen.”
Fun Facts.
After winning State in 1955, an article in the PDJ noted that Divine had 5 boys out for wrestling, a record high and an indication of how popular Divine had made the sport for PHS athletes. Divine stated t was the boys behind the varsity who kept pushing the front-runners for starting positions, they made us the champions.” Scott Chenoweth was not only the 100th state champion in Perry history, he was the last Perry champion at the prestigious and historic Geary Tournament. Perry had 72 individual champions at Geary and finished in the top three 25 times, including winning the team title seven times.
The 1st and 100th State Champions John St. Clair and Scott Chenoweth For most of his career, Coach Divine coached the entire program, from elementary beginners to the high school. When asked “How old must a boy be to start wrestling ” Divine replied “He has to be old enough for two things. One is to go to the bathroom by himself, and the other is to mind me.” John Divine Hall was dedicated in December 1957 with a listed capacity of 1,700.
The 2009 team enjoyed a banner year with many team highlights. A few of the team highlights include, defeating the 6A, 5A and 4A Dual State Champions during the season - Perry split with 6A champion Ponca City, winning by a 32-2 score and dropping a dual at Ponca by the same score. Perry defeated 5A champion Claremore 42-24 and defeated 3A champion Cushing 3 -1 . Perry also had dual victories over Dual State ualifiers El Reno 57-1 , lackwell 61-12, ristow 5 -13, and Kingfisher 5 -10. Perry placed 2nd at the Perry Tournament of Champions, which is the highest finish the Maroons have ever had. Perry also placed 2nd at the Midwest ational Duals, losing only to 6A state champion Tulsa Union in the finals.
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aroon a ad An important role of wrestling is that of the mat maid. Maroon wrestling Mat Maids are a significant part of the Maroon Wrestling team, with the goal of supporting the Maroon wrestling program. Regular mat maid activities include helping create posters for the matches and interact with fans and cheering on the team. They volunteer at events, representing the wrestling program and travel to as many away tournaments and duals as possible to assist in whatever way they can.
Perry Wrestling Foundation
Many Mat Maids siblings of wrestlers or come from families communities where wrestling is important and their main goal is to support the Maroon and Lady Maroon wrestling program as much as they possibly can. The first Maroon Mat Maid team started in 1975 with members Jennie Hannah, Kim azzell, Kim owell, Chris Stoops, Carla Spillman, Cindy Kirtley, Ruth Shimanek, Debbie Courtney, Gina Clark, Marsha Sandy, Cheryl avodny, and ecky Dvorak. This team can be seen below.
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Perry Wrestling Foundation
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eing Wrestling ueen is one of my favorite memories. ven being a girl I felt as though I was carrying on the easley Wrestling egacy Kim easley, ueen
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ernie Skalenda, PHS graduate, was on the Maroon Wrestling team in 1952 when it won its first State Championship. Skalenda’s father wouldn’t allow he and his brothers to play football or baseball due to the intense heat of the summer. nstead his father encouraged him to participate in wrestling, a winter sport. After joining, he and his brothers would practice wrestling once they were home from school. Skalenda explained that at the beginning, he was very rusty in the sport. On a scale of 0 - 9, he shared, he placed himself at about a 3. After winning the first State Championship
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in 1952, a competition in which he individually placed fourth, he won a scholarship to Oklahoma University the same year. When asked what coaches inspired him during his wrestling career, he explained Coach Divine of Perry High School and Coach Robertson of Oklahoma University were his two biggest inspirations. Robertson would invite Skalenda to his home and help him study science in order to keep his scholarship since he was a C average student. This touched him because it was a clear sign of going above and beyond as a coach.
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Perry graduate and winning team member of the 1952 Championship team, Phil Pierce, shares he enjoyed his experiences on the Maroon Wrestling team. Pierce was considered to have a smaller build; too small to perform in other activities including basketball and football. nstead, he found an enriching athletic outlet in the sport of wrestling. He thrived under the guidance of Coach John Divine, who inspired him because he ‘never once said he was too small’.
Perry Wrestling Foundation
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This gave Pierce confidence. His sister Janna was a Redhawk mascot and attended all of Pierces duals. After graduating, Pierce received a scholarship to Oklahoma University, where he studied for a year. Pierce was injured, however, and was forced to undergo an operation on his leg, which led to his exit from wrestling and a more intense focus on studying. He was married after college to his high school sweetheart.
e Class of ‘53 PHS graduate Rex Edgar was one of a select few to win the Maroon’s first State Championship. Competing at 14 lbs., he won the Geary Tournament as a junior and senior, and at the state championships, finished fourth as a junior and third as a senior. Edgar was a ig-Seven champion at 167 lbs., an All-American, placing third at the CAA tournament, and a member of the 1957 CAA championship team, half of which were former Perry wrestlers. After graduating from OU in 195 with a degree in accounting, Edgar returned to Perry and began coaching. From 1962-69, his teams won six state
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championships and crowned 24 individual state champs. He was Coach-of-theear in 1963, ‘64, ‘65 and ‘67. Although Edgar left the coaching profession, he never truly left the wrestling world, volunteering as a coach and financially supporting Perry wrestling. For his continued passion for the sport, Rex Edgar was honored with the 2015 Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award from the Oklahoma Chapter of the ational Wrestling Hall of Fame. John Divine was the coach that got him started. Edgar would encourage students to get involved in wrestling. “ don’t know anyone who has gotten into the sport who hasn’t benefitted. ou have to dedicate
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yourself because its a tough sport, but if you do that it would be rewarding.” His favorite moment on the mat was when he won the big 7 championship. His opponent was from owa state university that hadn’t been beat in two years won 9-7. He was a Perry wrestling coach for years and won six state championships for the team. He was John Divine’s assistant for three years. Edgar’s favorite part of coaching “ ou get to work and teach with these young people; the chance to guide them and work with them.”
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Scott Chenoweth Perry native Scott Chenoweth grew up greatly involved in the sport of wrestling watching Maroon Wrestling, becoming a Maroon Wrestler himself, then coaching for Perry for nineteen years; sixteen years as head coach. Since his interest in wrestling began, he has experienced too many great memories to count. There were, however, a few that stood out to him. His sophomore and senior years of high school, in wrestling and winning the state championship both years, are two memories that resonate deeply with him. n coaching, Chenoweth shared there were so many great moments and individuals, including just conversations with wrestlers and watching them succeed, that picking one was near impossible. “Whether we won state or not, there were special things that happened in each one of those years. There were just so many when coached,” Chenoweth commented. Wrestling hasn’t just impacted his life greatly, however, it affects his hometown. “Wrestling has been such a strong program for so many years. There are so many generations of families that have been affected by the sport, its difficult to find one not affected within the community. On Maroon Wrestling celebrating 100 years, he said, “ hope it’s a sense of pride for the community to see Maroon Wrestling 100 years strong.”
Perry Wrestling Foundation
Chenoweth stated that to continue the tradition of wrestling, it’s simple; it’s how all traditions survive. “ t’s the people who experienced the tradition and the success from it, whether on or off the mat; they have to value what they went through and have the drive to share that with the young wrestlers going through it now. t doesn’t continue on its own. t continues because the parents, former wrestlers, and fans carry that tradition on.” When discussing what makes a Maroon Wrestler, Chenoweth said that there are several ualities that make a good wrestler, and several more ualities that make a Perry wrestler. “One thing that carries true with Perry wrestling, is the perception that whether you’re going to wrestle the best from Perry or an average wrestler from Perry, one thing they will both have in common is every wrestler from Perry will give everything they’ve got on the mat.” eing Maroon Head Coach is a privilege and a challenge of its own. “ ou have to have the willingness to put yourself out there and the courage to step in and lead the program. t takes a lot of courage to step up and take on a job that brings with it the history and legacy that Perry Wrestling does. After that it takes a lot of passion.” Chenoweth is currently Assistant Wrestling Coach with the University of Oklahoma.
Bryan Wilson ryan Wilson, born and raised in Perry, was recently named 2022-23 Lady Maroons Wrestling coach. ryan began wrestling in the third grade after watching his uncle and immediately fell in love with it. He got on the Maroons wrestling team his freshman year of high school because a senior became ineligible. ryan went 2-2 in regionals his freshman year and in his sophomore year, he won regionals and went 2-0 in state. He also won state his junior year but says his senior year was more special to him because in ‘97, the Maroons won as a team, and his senior year, the win came down to his match. ryan was coached by Coach Scott Chenoweth and claims that he was by far his favorite coach. He said, “ n my opinion, was coached by the best coach ever, he was a technician. He could teach you how to break things down and said that the way to win is by the little things, if you focus on the little things, the big things will come.” He was coached by Scott but also had the honor to coach alongside him for a short amount of time and learned a lot from him during that time. ryan says that he hopes to bring what he learned from Coach Scott to the Lady Maroons throughout his years as coach. When asked why ryan wanted to be the head coach of the Lady Maroons, he said, “ know it’s growing, and it’s big. Me and one of my friends, Jeff Klinglesmith started the Wrestling Academy like two years ago. We coached a lot of the girls going into junior year now.” He added, “When asked to coach, just had to do
it. My biggest motivation is Perry Wrestling, boys and girls.” Aside from his kids and family, ryan says his life has always centered around Perry Wrestling. His oldest daughter was a senior last year and he proudly says that she was the first girl to graduate as a Lady Maroon wrestler. Tragically, however, her year and future in wrestling was shortened because of several concussions throughout her time wrestling. His son, Teaguen, made it to state finals. He adds with a laugh, “ f the family wasn’t wrestling, would drag them along to watch Perry Wrestling.” When asked what his favorite memory of wrestling altogether was, ryan said, “We won by four points. Tuttle had a four-time state champion that went and pinned a kid which put them ahead. t came to my match against him and pinned him. The sea of Maroons came out of the stands, came out and hugged the coach. That was probably the best feeling and memory have.” He went on to add, “And my son making it to the state finals.” ryan finished with his prediction and hope for Lady Maroons’ future “ think we have a lot of room for growth. ’m excited to see what those kids can do, ’m excited to see the first state placers and state champs. Coaching Perry Wrestling has always been my dream job. We have some tough girls, ’m excited to make history with these girls.”
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on Don Huff started wrestling as a youth wrestler in fourth grade in Perry Elementary School. Tom Groom was his coach and sometimes Tony Macias would assist in coaching. Tom was a little more laid-back, Huff explained, but Tony made the young wrestlers ‘work their tail off’. His biggest inspiration in wrestling is Terry Leonard, and has been since he was a young wrestler. Leonard motivated him in the sport and encouraged him to do his best. When asked what he would say to young children interested in joining the sport of wrestling. “Absolutely join,” he said, “Wrestling encourages young men and women to do better in school,
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be healthier, develop social skills, instill confidence, and offers them the ability to defend themselves against bullies.” He started working in youth wrestling though the MCA in 19 3. n 1992, he founded Perry outh Wrestling as an independent program. There is no minimum age limit to participate. The lowest age group is age 6 and under. When asked what his favorite moment in wrestling was, he commented it was difficult to choose just one. “All these years have been just one big blessing.” Advice he offers to younger generations is to have patience; push through it. “Keep trying and have patience.”
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uff,
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“ erry built a tradition, and now this tradition is nown all over the nation.” llison easley, former Maroon Wrestler rr
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Ellison easley started wrestling when he was in the seventh grade. John Divine was his coach. He won state junior high tournament in 1960. He attended Perry High School from 1961 - 1964. Each year he had a state championship team under Rex Edgar. “We had the first two three-time state champions, Leonard Groom and ob Drebenstedt. They were both really tough guys,” easley commented. When easley first started wrestling, he shared he couldn’t beat anyone and John Divine started him out tumbling in the gym. n eighth grade things changed and easley said he got better. “ ts a tradition,” he said of Maroon Wrestling. “Wrestling for Perry is extremely important. ou
have the entire family there to support you.” He added, “Perry built a tradition, and now this tradition is known all over the nation.” easley believes community support is a big part of it, but so is drive and courage. “We need to be wrestling the toughest guys we can get. ou’ve got to be mentally and physically tough. “ think Perry Wrestling has that. We’re going to have to grow and we are going to have to develop a strong girls program. We need to continue to be tougher. He went on to say, “As tough as we had to be, they are going to have to be tougher. t’s harder today than it’s ever been.”