Central Michigan University Athletics
Former Chippewa Receives National Coaching Honor
8/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Aug. 18, 2003
Former Central Michigan University wrestler and assistant coach John Matthews has been named "Developmental Coach of the Year" by USA Wrestling, the national governing body for amateur wrestling in the United States. The award honors the top coach in the nation working with age-group wrestlers and programs.
Matthews was one of the inaugural inductees into the CMU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1984. He was 79-28-6 in his Chippewa career and won the 1974 Mid-American Conference title at 159 pounds. John was a member of the 1976 and 1980 USA Olympic teams. He also was an assistant coach at CMU from 1974-79.
Matthews has served two years as the Arizona's State Greco-Roman Developmental Coach. He travels to numerous training sites around the state and conducts skills and training clinics for coaches, athletes and clubs. He has also developed a technical and training syllabus for the state in Greco-Roman. .
Matthews has developed an organized system of training at the Arizona national summer camps, which has helped result in a tremendous improvement in the performance of Arizona wrestlers on the national level.
The state has won numerous medals, including a number of individual champions, at major USA Wrestling competitions since Matthews has been involved. Included were five gold medals at the 2003 FILA Cadet Nationals, four gold medals at the Western Junior Regionals, 11 gold medals at the Western Kids/Cadet Regionals and three gold medals at the 2002 ASICS Junior and Cadet Nationals. In total, Arizona athletes won 63 national placements at those competitions.
He has a tremendous background in Greco-Roman wrestling, as one of the nation's top Greco-Roman athletes of his era. He was a member of the 1976 and 1980 U.S. Olympic teams in Greco-Roman wrestling at 163 pounds. He placed fourth in the 1978 World Championships, and also competed in the 1977, 1979 and 1982 World Championships. In 2003, Matthews was a double champion at the Veterans National Championships, winning both styles in Div. D (50-55 years) at 187.25 pounds.
USA Wrestling Developmental Coach of the Year
1989 - Al Kastl, Michigan
1990 - Kevin McCleary, Pennsylvania
1991 - J. D. Robbins, California
1992 - Tony Jones, Oregon
1993 - Morrie Geselter, Illinois
1994 - Jerry Kuntz, Oklahoma
1995 - Mike Hagerty, Missouri
1996 - Bob Kopnisky, Indiana
1997 - John Leone, New York
1998 - Mike Rial, Iowa
1999 - Greg Strobel, Pennsylvania
2000 - John Hohman, Pennsylvania
2001 - Randy Baker, Minnesota
2002 - Archie Randall, Oklahoma
2003 - John Matthews, Arizona
