HOF coach says this Bears team could be one of his best
Louie Stanley, with plaque, stands with his wife Lisa; sons Brenden, Reid and Logan; and other family members and friends at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Columbus in October.
When Louie Stanley was hired as a young 25-year-old head wrestling coach in 1993 at his alma mater Waynedale, he could have never dreamed one day he’d be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
As the years turned into decades, the wins started piling up, and the Golden Bears extended their domination from the Wayne County Athletic League to the entire state in Division III.
At that point Stanley said he daydreamed once in a while that he might have the accolades to be voted into the Ohio Wrestling Coaches Association HOF. He wound up reaching that goal in 2014.
Still, he never thought about getting a national HOF spot until receiving the news this summer that he’d been selected. Longtime OHSAA official Ray Anthony nominated Stanley unbeknownst to him, and several veteran coaches wrote recommendation letters. Longtime assistant Nick Widder helped provide Anthony information about Stanley’s career.
Stanley was inducted into the National Wrestling HOF Ohio Chapter during a ceremony in Columbus in October.
“It was quite an honor,” Stanley said. “I just never had any thought in a million years that I would get to that level. I always kind of had a little bit of a hope maybe to get in the Ohio Hall of Fame, but to get this national honor is pretty crazy. Thirty-one years as head coach here with a lot of success, and it happened.”
Stanley, 56, is third all-time in Ohio history in dual meet wins with a 536-107-2 record. He guided the Golden Bears to the Div. III state team title in 2012 and finished as state dual runners-up in 2020.
The highlights also include 20 WCAL championships, 18 sectional titles and seven district golds. He’s coached 76 state qualifiers, 42 state-placers and three state champions (David Stiltner, 2007; Zeb Beam, 2012; and Zack Nelson, 2013). Fourteen of his grapplers went on to wrestle in college including sons Brenden, Reid and Logan, who were each All-Ohioans.
Stanley said his coaching career would have been over long ago if not for the love and support of his wife Lisa and three sons.
“The first person I thanked in my (induction) speech was Lisa,” said Stanley, a 1986 Waynedale graduate and 2005 inductee into the Wayne County Sports Hall of Fame. “I’ve watched so many great wrestling coaches in our area go to the wayside after five years or so for two reasons: No. 1, their wife’s not supportive. For football coaches and some other sports, it’s probably just as bad.
“Secondly, maybe they don’t have sons or they have sons who don’t want to wrestle, and it’s too much time away. I think those issues run a lot of people out.”
In the case of the Stanley family, it’s been just the opposite. Lisa and their sons are just as enthusiastic about wrestling.
“Lisa has run a million open tournaments, fundraisers, drove kids to camps,” Stanley said. “She’s been to the national tournament. I thank my wife a lot because, without a doubt, she’s No. 1.
“Obviously, I thank my boys No. 2 because of their drive and determination and love for the sport of wrestling. It really motivated me to continue to try to be a better coach for them and their friends. I’m extremely proud my sons have gone on to coach — Brenden and Reid with me here at Waynedale and Logan at West Holmes.”
It’s been said success breeds success, and the community has gotten behind Waynedale wrestling like few other programs in Northeast Ohio.
“Our wrestling parents and my coaching staff have been incredible,” Stanley said, pointing out assistant Nick Widder has been with him for 20 years. “The volunteers that we have come in and all the way down to the youth level play a big role.
“Then, obviously, I’ve been blessed with so many great, talented wrestlers. You can be the best coach in the world, but if you don’t have the right element in your room and kids who want to work in the offseason, it just doesn’t matter. I have to also thank my administration over the years for being supportive of wrestling. It’s been the perfect storm. It’s been a fun ride.”
The ride shows no signs of slowing down. If not for St. Paris Graham dropping into Div. III, Waynedale would be a state title favorite.
“We have one of the best teams in Waynedale history,” Stanley said. “We are absolutely loaded, and these kids have incredible work ethics.”
Waynedale has six returning state qualifiers in Brock Beckler (113, fourth at 106), Isaak Skelly (120), Stephen Patterson (126, seventh at 113), Riley Greathouse (138, sixth at 126), Caden Schmeltzer (144, fifth at 132) and Robert McCrork (190), along with state alternate DJ Oberly (150).
The Bears will open their 2024-25 season by hosting the Waynedale Duals on Dec. 6. They will induct their Waynedale HOF Class of Zack Nelson, Zane Nelson, Brenden Stanley and the 2012 state title team.
In the second half of the season, Waynedale will host the WCAL Meet on Feb. 14 and host a sectional for the first time on Feb. 22. They will move south to the Coshocton District. The Individual State Wrestling Tournament will be held March 7-9 in Columbus.