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Capt. Steve Archer*Florida |
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Captain Archer began his wrestling career at the United States Naval Academy in 1932. From that time until his passing in 1996, his impact on the sport of wrestling extended worldwide. Throughout his naval assignments, Captain Archer consistently established wrestling programs, helped organize tournaments, raised funds for individual wrestlers, promoted international cultural exchanges, and advanced both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. His dedication helped grow the sport wherever he was stationed. Captain Archer served as the Head Coach of the All-Navy Wrestling Team and was a world-class wrestling official, officiating at numerous World Championships and two Olympic Games. In addition, he served as a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and as National Secretary for the AAU, further solidifying his leadership and influence within the sport. Beyond wrestling, Captain Archer completed a distinguished 30-year career in the United States Navy, earning numerous military honors, including:
Captain Archer was not only a decorated naval officer and influential wrestling figure, but also a devoted husband and father. |
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Dave BennettsMontana |
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AAU Coaching 1968-1972 Assistant Coach Butte Tarpons (Swimming) 1972-1974 Head Swimming Coach Baker Spartans 1972- 1974 Head Wrestling Coach Baker Spartans 1974-76 Head Football and Track Coach- KG Cougars 1976-77 Head Wrestling Coach Stevensville Spartans 1976-1981 Assistant Coach Billings Wrestling Club 1981-1987 Head Coach Helena Wrestling Club 1984- Team leader Coach Cultural Exchange- Denmark 1990- Team leader Coach Cultural Exchange- Egypt 1991-93-95-97-01 - Team leader Coach Cultural Exchange- Germany
AAU Offices Held 1976-1981 Billings Wrestling Club Head Official 1978-1981 Head Wrestling Official- South Central Divisional 1981-1987 Head Wrestling Official- State of Montana 1984- Present National AAU Wrestling Board Member 1986-1987 1st Vice President- Montana AAU 1988-1992 President Montana Armature Wrestling Association 1987- Present Montana Delegate National AAU 1990-1996- USAW-MT- Wrestling Executive Board 1992- 2012 Cultural Exchange Chairman Mt. 1996- Present- National AAU Head Folkstyle Official
National AAU and State Recognition Awards 1989 –AAU International Outstanding Wrestling Official of the Year 1992 – Montana Outstanding Contributor 1992- Outstanding National Official of the Year 1993- AAU National Volunteer of the Year 1997- Outstanding Folkstyle Official of the Year 1997- Montana High School Official of the Year- MHSA 1997- Nominated Nationally for the Outstanding High School Official of the Year 1998- National AAU Folkstyle Official of the Year 1998- National AAU Service Award 1999- AAU Wrestling Hall of Fame 2003- AAU William T. Vandivier Service Award 2008 National AAU Volunteer Hall of Fame 2011 AAU National Sustained Service Award 1997-2012 Officiated 5 NAIA National College Tournaments 1998 and 2012 Montana High School Official of the Year-MHSA 2014 Montana High School Association Official HOF
Athletic Achievements 1962-68 AAU Swim Team Member 1964- AAU Cultural Exchange Swimming Montana vs. Canada Team member 1965- North Central Regional Senior and Junior 200m Breast Stroke Champion 1969- 2yr Butte High School letterman Football, Wrestling and Swimming 1967-68 State Wrestling Placer (2) 1968 – Swimming State Placer 4 events 1968 All State Swimming and State Championship Football Team 1969, 71 and 72 All Frontier Conference Football Player 1976- Billings City League Football Defensive Player of the Year 1976-2014-Montana High School Official- 38 years Officiated 32 State Wrestling Tournaments Officiated 36 Divisional Tournaments Worked all 9 Designated Wrestling Divisional/ only Montana Official to accomplish this task 1997-Present Head Official for The Prestige’s Disney Duals 2019- Assistant Rules Interpreter for the MHSA High School Wrestling Tournament |
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Larry Bergstrom* Indiana |
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Jack Crider Ozark |
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John Dustin Indiana |
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Steve Evanhoff* Florida |
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Don Herold* Ohio |
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Jim Herold* Ohio |
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Bob Johnson* South Dakota |
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1968 wrestled in first state AAU wrestling tournament 1977 assistant coach Augustana College - team second NCAA D2 tournament 1977 - 2003 Head Wrestling Coach Doland, Kimball, & Brookings SD 2 State Championship teams 15 top 10 finishes 200+ dual wins Over 300 state place winner SD wrestling Coach of the Year 1982 to 2018 director of South Dakota wrestling coaches AAU program - grown to over 5000 members 1992 tournament director NCAA D2 wrestling tournament 1984 to 2018 member of AAU wrestling committee Chair from 1988 to 2018 Awarded AAU presidents leadership award 2x Inducted into SD wrestling Hall of Fame and AAU wrestling Hall of Fame |
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Josh HensonPotomac Valley |
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Capt. Josiah HensonPotomac Valley |
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Kevin MartinMid Atlantic |
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Jim Peckham*New England |
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David Rivenes*Montana |
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Laris RobertsMontana |
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Joe Scalzo*Ohio |
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His career in wrestling spanned the whole gamut of the sport. Joe Scalzo was wrestler, coach, referee, administrator and international delegate. There were other roles, such as pioneer, innovator and crusader. He was a high school champ in New Jersey and an NCAA finalist for Penn State in 1939. During his early years as a chemical engineer, he coached wrestling as a volunteer at the Toledo YMCA, where his teams were unbeaten for a decade and won three national titles. He became the first wrestling coach at the University of Toledo in 1950. Scalzo promoted all styles of wrestling, but was particularly fond of Greco-Roman. After years of resistance, he lived to see the USA stand tall among the nations, with two gold medalists in the 1984 Olympics and its first World champion a year later. He was Olympic coach in 1956 and one of his collegiate stars, Richard Wilson, was a three-time Olympian. In Toledo, he organized the first two World Championships held in the USA, in 1962 and 1966. Scalzo conceived the idea of a World Cup among continental champions, convinced the international federation, and served as host 13 of its first 14 years. He was one of the first to see wrestling as an "event" to be planned and conducted for the spectators. As an international referee, he held the highest rating for 23 years, and was an active participant--as coach, official or administrator--in nine Olympics and more than 100 continental and world championships. He was vice president of the International Wrestling Federation and a lifetime member of the FILA Bureau. He died in the midst of wrestling friends and colleagues, stricken by a heart attack while attending the awards banquet of the 1986 World Championships in Budapest. His life in wrestling was that of a volunteer, a sidelight to his professional careers of engineer, labor negotiator, business executive, attorney at law, management consultant and civic leader. In recognition of his leadership in the growth and promotion of wrestling, Joseph R. Scalzo is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. |
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