Founded in 1961
LakeVille Falcon Wrestling had its start in 1961 under Coach Jerry Wager. Jerry Wager was a member of the 1956 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman Wrestling Team. Coach Wager attended the University of Toledo from 1956 through 1959 and participated in football, boxing, and wrestling. He is an inductee of the University of Toledo Hall of Fame.
Wager began his teaching and coaching career at Monroe Catholic Central High School. There he started the school’s first wrestling team and led them to the school’s first state championship. In 1960, LakeVille Community Schools hired him as a high school teacher and wrestling coach. He started the Falcons’ first wrestling team and coached them for one season in 1961. LakeVille graduate and varsity wrestler Larry Peariso ’64 remembers Coach Wager as being a talented wrestler and an outstanding coach. Later, Coach Wager went on to coach the USA World Wrestling Team, where his team won seven consecutive World Championships. In 1977, Jerry and Sheila Wager became the executive director and secretary of the FILA Junior World Wrestling Freestyle and Greco-Roman Championships held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In 1987, Wager coached the US Greco-Roman team to our nation’s first world championship in this style. Wager was not only an outstanding coach, but is also recognized as a distinguished and highly decorated official. In 1985, he became the first US official to be selected as a Mat Chairman in the Junior World Greco-Roman Championships in Kristiansund, Norway. He has officiated in over 50 major international meets, including the World Championships, Junior World Championships, Pan American Championships, and European Championships.
Today, Coach Wager is enjoying life as a retired law enforcement officer and resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife Sheila. She is the world’s first and only female Olympic wrestling referee. Both he and his wife are members of the National Amateur Athletic Union Wrestling Hall of Fame and were inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 2008.
In 1962 after Coach Wager left, LakeVille’s Don Green took on the role as head wrestling coach for one season. The wrestling program was cancelled thereafter until 1966 when LakeVille alumni, teacher, and coach Darrel Morton reestablished it. Head coaches over the years have been Jerry Wager, Don Green, Darrel Morton, Bernard Keppel, Tony Shunot, Jim Squier, Jim Schabel, Gary Martin, Jeff Pickens, and current head coach Dan Huggler who has been a part of our program for over 20 years.
You can view LakeVille’s historic wrestling records by visiting the High School. The record board is located in the hallway near the cafeteria. If you have more information about Falcons wrestling please feel free to contact Coach Huggler at [email protected] or (810)591-3909
Wager began his teaching and coaching career at Monroe Catholic Central High School. There he started the school’s first wrestling team and led them to the school’s first state championship. In 1960, LakeVille Community Schools hired him as a high school teacher and wrestling coach. He started the Falcons’ first wrestling team and coached them for one season in 1961. LakeVille graduate and varsity wrestler Larry Peariso ’64 remembers Coach Wager as being a talented wrestler and an outstanding coach. Later, Coach Wager went on to coach the USA World Wrestling Team, where his team won seven consecutive World Championships. In 1977, Jerry and Sheila Wager became the executive director and secretary of the FILA Junior World Wrestling Freestyle and Greco-Roman Championships held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In 1987, Wager coached the US Greco-Roman team to our nation’s first world championship in this style. Wager was not only an outstanding coach, but is also recognized as a distinguished and highly decorated official. In 1985, he became the first US official to be selected as a Mat Chairman in the Junior World Greco-Roman Championships in Kristiansund, Norway. He has officiated in over 50 major international meets, including the World Championships, Junior World Championships, Pan American Championships, and European Championships.
Today, Coach Wager is enjoying life as a retired law enforcement officer and resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife Sheila. She is the world’s first and only female Olympic wrestling referee. Both he and his wife are members of the National Amateur Athletic Union Wrestling Hall of Fame and were inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 2008.
In 1962 after Coach Wager left, LakeVille’s Don Green took on the role as head wrestling coach for one season. The wrestling program was cancelled thereafter until 1966 when LakeVille alumni, teacher, and coach Darrel Morton reestablished it. Head coaches over the years have been Jerry Wager, Don Green, Darrel Morton, Bernard Keppel, Tony Shunot, Jim Squier, Jim Schabel, Gary Martin, Jeff Pickens, and current head coach Dan Huggler who has been a part of our program for over 20 years.
You can view LakeVille’s historic wrestling records by visiting the High School. The record board is located in the hallway near the cafeteria. If you have more information about Falcons wrestling please feel free to contact Coach Huggler at [email protected] or (810)591-3909
Co-Founder Jerry Wager
LakeVille Wrestling Varsity Head Coaches
1961 Jerry Wager (Founder)
1962 Donovan Green
1966 Darrell Morton (Reestablished)
1968 Bernard Keppel
1969 Tony Schunot
1972 Jim Squier
1982 Jim Schabel
1989 Gary Martin
2001 Jeff Pickens
2013 Dan Huggler
1961 Jerry Wager (Founder)
1962 Donovan Green
1966 Darrell Morton (Reestablished)
1968 Bernard Keppel
1969 Tony Schunot
1972 Jim Squier
1982 Jim Schabel
1989 Gary Martin
2001 Jeff Pickens
2013 Dan Huggler