The name Wade Schalles is tied to the sport of amateur wrestling in so many ways that there’s few individuals, if any, who’s total body of work is more impressive.
During his career, Mr. Schalles became the first Pennsylvanian to be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame; was selected as “Athlete of the Year”; “Coach of the Year”; “Man of the Year” and “Sportswriter of the Year.” He’s also in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the most pins and when he refereed he was one of the highest-rated wrestling officials in America.
Sports Illustrated said he was “the most exciting wrestler to ever walk onto a wrestling mat.” Amateur Wrestling News selected him as the best American middleweight of the 20th Century. Dan Gable called him, “the greatest pinner he’s ever seen!”
Voted “World’s Greatest Wrestler” by coaches from around the globe for pinning all of his opponents at the Collegiate World Championships, Mr. Schalles is the National Record Holder for defeating the most NCAA Champions and pinning the most NCAA Champions. On the international level he holds the World Records for defeating the most World Champions and pinning the most World Champions.
Collegiately Mr. Schalles is the only NCAA Division I wrestler to pin over 100 opponents, a record that he’s held for over 5 decades. For his skill at putting people on their backs, WIN Magazine, and the National Wrestling Coaches Association, annually present the Schalles Award to the nation’s top scholastic and collegiate pinners.
Overall, Mr. Schalles has won 15 national championships and been an All-American in five different combative disciplines: Judo, Sombo, Freestyle, Folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. He’s authored two bestselling books on the sport and his instructional video series on wrestling are best sellers.
Currently he is one of the country’s most popular columnists and “creative” is probably the best way to describe his writing style as well as the way he views the sport.
Thought of as the Father of Funk Wrestling, he continues to this day to make immeasurable contributions to the sport he loves.
