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 Dave Wadsworth (left) receives his award from George Keeney, Chairman, West Virginia State Chapter Board of Directors |
Dave Wadsworth -- "Outstanding West Virginian"
Dave Wadsworth went to Bowie High School in Bowie, Md, where he was a star athlete. He was the oldest child of six. His mother was a stay at home mom and his dad was in the Navy. With lots of hard work, he was awarded a wrestling scholarship to Salisbury State in Maryland and had a great career. After graduation, he entered the work force and maintained involvement in high school's wrestling program. By 1979 Dave had landed his dream Job at Chrysler Motor Corporation and received his 2nd Invitation to try out for the US Olympic Wrestling Team. Because of a work conflict and the fact that the U.S. boycotted the 1980 Olympics, Dave did not get to pursue this Invitation. His career spanned 5 decades and 130 tournaments. It Included one Freestyle National Championship, 3 Folkstyle National Championships and second and third place finishes at the Folkstyle World Championships. In 1990 with the encouragement of several. co-workers, he began Dave Wadsworth and Associates, a business management consulting firm for automotive dealers with over 40 dealers today. His key to success has been using lessons he learned through his wrestling career and builds team work that leads to focus and profitability at his dealerships. Dave has stayed involved in local mat club activities and with local high school teams. When he goes to their matches, you can tell they not only appreciate his time but also value his experlence. They are very respectful of the fact that his "old guy" still gets out there and wrestles and then shares this experience with them. Dave and his wife Joanne are the parents of three sons, R.B., Stephen and Michael. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors Dave Wadsworth with the "Outstanding West Virginian" award, class of 2012. |
Donnie Bauer (left) receives his award from George Keeney, Chairman, West Virginia State Chapter Board of Directors |
Donnie Bauer -- "Lifetime Service to Wrestling"
Donnie Bauer has coached wrestling for over 30 years in the Wheeling area. Having no boys of his own, he dedicated himself to teaching the mat sport to his kids whose parents placed in his charge. During his coaching tenure, Donnie developed wrestlers who later won a total of 25 West Virginia State Championships. In reference to the gigantic Ron Mauck OVAC Wrestling Tournament, he mentored 15 matmen who finished their high school careers with a total of 18 OVAC titles. Since 1973, Donnie developed 100s of wrestlers at the youth, middle school and high school levels. He mentored mat teams at the Wheeling area YMCA for 15 years. Also he coached the "Mozart Hawks" and the "Woodsdale Takedown Kids" for the Greater Wheeling Area Smallfry Wrestling League for 10 years. Bauer served as head coach at Triadelphia Middle School and Wheeling Central Catholic High School over a five year stint. Donnie initiated the mat careers of four wrestlers who won both West Virginia State Championships and Ron.Mauck OVAC Wrestling Tournament titles. They Include John Marshall's Dustin Ritchie as well as Dirk Bauer, Ronnie Green, Ronnell Green, and Kyle Bauer of Wheeling Park, Zach Basich of Wheeling Central Catholic and Rich Brothers of Bridgeport (Ohio). The National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors Don Bauer with a "lifetime Service to Wrestling" award, class of 2012. |
 Mike Ellis (left) receives his award from George Keeney, Chairman, West Virginia State Chapter Board of Directors |
Mike Ellis -- "Lifetime Service to Wrestling"
Mike Ellis began his wrestling career as a sophomore at Hurricane High School in 1961. He earned a starting spot as a Junior and was team captain his senior year with a record of 25-12. Studying at Marshall University he earned a degree in Social Studies Education and began teaching at Hurricane High and started coaching wrestling in the fall of 1968. His team that year would post the first winning record (5-4-1) in the school's history. Mike would coach wrestling at the school for 16 years. During that time his teams posted a 105-70 dual meet record. In 1975 the team was 5th, in 1978 it was 3rd, and in 1979 was 7th in the State Tournament. In 1980 he started the Putnam County Youth Wrestling Team, coaching it for 4 years. During this time Mike was active in cultural exchange wrestling programs. Hurricane and other West Virginia cities hosted several meets with local Wrestlers competing against teams from various German cities. In 1979 Mike would travel with a West Virginia team to Berlin and Salzgitter, Germany in competition. Rod Oldham and Bill Archer were the other coaches, Paul Lemery was the referee. Mike started high school boys, girls and middle school soccer programs at Hurricane. He also coached cross country, baseball, and track. He served as a teacher, coach, and assistant principal at Hurricane HIgh School for 40 years, retiring In 2008. He continues to serve the school as a substitute teacher, boy's soc.c er scorekeeper and helps with Its Advanced Placement United . States History program. He also attends wrestling matches throughout the state and helps current Hurricane coach, Lee Cummings. Mike lives just outside Hurricane close to his daughter, Marian and son, Reuben. His five grandchildren are a big part of his life. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors Mike Ellis with a "Lifetime of Service to Wrestling" award, class of 2012. |
Jim LeMaster (left) receives his award from George Keeney, Chairman, West Virginia State Chapter Board of Directors |
Jim LeMaster -- "Lifetime Service to Wrestling"
Jim LeMaster began his wrestling coaching career with the Milton Youth program in the early 1980's when his two sons decided to give the sport a try. He had previously coached football, basketball (girls and boys), track, golf and even a chess team all at the junior high level. As he became involved in the sport, wrestling became his passion and only coaching interest. With no experience in wrestling at all, Jim learned by serving as a volunteer coach, then an assistant coach, co-head coach and finally took over the reins of the Ona Junior High team in 1988. With the consolidation to form Milton Middle School, he continued coaching and led the Panthers until his retirement in 2011. Over the years, Jim's teams won 15 conference championships including 7 straight and over 100 Individual conference champions with a dual meet record of 447-42. His team was also ranked first in the coaches polls 4 times. In 2003 he was chosen Tri-State Coach of the year and he rates that team as his best because they went unbeaten competing against Jr. High, High School Freshman and other Middle School teams despite having no ninth graders in their school . Jim coached six wrestlers who went on to be high school state champions, seven wrestlers who went on to wrestle in college and one NCAA All American. Putting a heavy emphasis on academics and community service, Jim's teams never had a team GPA of less than 3.0 and most years every wrestler was on the honor roll. They also established a "Wrestling With Hunger" match held every season where the admission Is a food donation, then make up and deliver food baskets to the less fortunate in the area for Christmas. This project has now spread to many other teams across the state. Jim has written articles for various wrestling publications and served as a moderator on the WV Mat web site from 1998 to present. In his retirement, he enjoys reading, fishing and golf. Jim and his wife of 40 years, Pat are the parents of two sons, Michael and David. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors Jim LeMaster with a "lifetime of Service to Wrestling" award, class of 2012. |
Thomas Lewis (left) receives his award from George Keeney, Chairman, West Virginia State Chapter Board of Directors |
Thomas Lewis -- "Lifetime Service to Wrestling"
Thomas Lewis is a 1955 graduate of East Fairmont High School where he lettered in Track and Football. Although Tom will tell you his greatest accomplishment in life Is his family and his love for the Lord, his love of sports never ceased. He would volunteer during his free time for the high school, whether it may, be running chains for the football team or driving the equipment truck and coached track and football at EFHS. In 1970, Tom began volunteering as wrestling coach at EFHS with Coach Bob Brookover and continues helping through the present. Tom's love of wrestling can be found In all three Marlon County High School's trophy cases. As a reward to the Marion County wrestlers from East Fairmont High, North Marion High, and Fairmont Senior High School that placed 1st - 6th at the State Wrestling Tournament, he made them a State of West Virginia Trophy. Cut out of hardwood, it contained their name, accomplishments, weight class, and GPA if 3.0 or higher. When available, a wrestling photo is included. Also a team accomplishment trophy was made for EFHS. Tom presented these trophies at all three Awards Banquet each year. This shows his great respect for· all three coaches and their programs. Since Tom was an accomplished home builder, after retiring, he worked for· one year for free on the facility building at East Fairmont High. He thanks Tom Dragich, Principal, for all of his cooperation on the project. Through several health problems In the past and God's grace, he is still able and plans to continue to be an asset to the Marion County wrestling program. Tom has been married to his HS sweetheart, Marjorie for 56 years and are parents of 5 daughters, Toby (Dr. Scott) Mercer; Cathy (Tom) Hlebinsky; Joni (Kenny) Parrish; Cheryl (Dr. Randall) Turner; and Carol (Bob) Bosley. They are the proud grandparents of 13 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors Thomas Lewis with a "Lifetime of Service to Wrestling" award, class of 2012. |
 Bane McCracken (left) receives his award from George Keeney, Chairman, West Virginia State Chapter Board of Directors |
Bane McCracken -- "Lifetime Service to Wrestling"
When Bill Bias volunteered to start the first wrestling team at Milton High School in 1960, Bane was the first to sign on. The next year, he became the school's first state champion. He continued his career at Marshall University, volunteered to coach at Beverly Hills Jr. High, and then took over as the head coach at Milton High School in 1974. When Milton High School closed In 1995, Bane left coaching to become the physical education department chair at Cabell Midland High School, where he developed an award-winning program. For his efforts, Bane was named the 1995 West Virginia Physical Education Teacher of the Year, 1996 Mid-West District Teacher of the Year, and the 1997 National Physical Education Teacher of the Year. Bane left Cabell County Schools in 2000 to become the coordinator of physical education, health education, driver's education, athletic trainers, and liaison to the WVSSAC for the West Virginia Department of Education until he retired In 2006. He returned to teaching as Professor of Physical Education at Marshall University In 2010 & 2011. He has written a book, It's Not Just Gym Anymore, and published professional articles in The Journal of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation; The National School boards of Education Journal; and Update, a publication of the American alliance of Health, Physical Education, recreation and Dance. He has been a featured speaker at conferences In forty-five states as well as Mexico, Germany, and Japan. He currently is a consultant for the National Center for Disease Control and a member of the Board of Directors for West Virginia on The Move. Bane and his lovely wife Joyce, also a retired teacher,live on a twenty-acre hill in Ona. They enjoy cooking, gardening, cycling, kayaklng, camping, fishing, and ballroom dancing. The couple have two children; Scott and Tana, and four grandchildren; Tasha, B.J., Zac, and Jessica. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors Bane McCracken with a "Lifetime of Service to Wrestling" award, class of 2012. |
 Ross Snyder (left) receives his father's award from George Keeney, Chairman, West Virginia State Chapter Board of Directors  Jim Snyder |
James Snyder -- "Lifetime Service to Wrestling"
Jim Snyder was born and raised in Baltimore, MD., where his father was a newspaperman as well as his brother Cameron, who was inducted into the media wing of the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his newspaper coverage of the Baltimore Colts in the 1950's and 60's. Snyder was a 1951 graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College where he Wlis the school's first sports information director. It was for that role that Snyder was inducted into Wesleyan's Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 1995 for "setting the standard in college sports information." It was also at Wesleyan that he met his future wife, Lana Rawson of Parkersburg. Upon graduation, Jim went to work for The Parkersburg News in 1951 and served as its sports editor from 1957-73. Along with Brad Kincaid of The Parkersburg Sentinel, the pair pioneered high school sports coverage in West Virginia. Jim was city editor from 1973 until his retirement in 1993. During his tenure at the newspaper, he was recognized as the Gene Morehouse Award recipient in 1974 for achievement and distinguished service. He was also in the inaugural 1998 Mid-Ohio Valley Hall of Fame class. Snyder and wife Lana were married for 40 years. They have two children, son Ross (Kim) and daughter Ann Baughan (Jeff). They have six grandchildren: Kayla, Kelsey, Kameron and Karson Snyder; Katherine and Rebecca Baughan. Jim passed away in 2002. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors James Snyder with a "Lifetime of Service to Wrestling" award, class of2012. |
