Radabaugh honored for 40 years with Ellsworth wrestling

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Jack Radabaugh receives the keys to a new fishing boat from Jim Hauschildt of the Ellsworth Wrestling Association.
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A presentation honoring Jack Radabaugh for 40 years with Ellsworth High School and its wrestling program took place Saturday during a quadrangular wrestling meet at EHS.

Radabaugh came to Ellsworth as an assistant for the 1973 and became head coach in 1976 until he stepped down and became an assistant last season.

Radabaugh was honored by members of his family, sons John and Grady and daughter Ann, who is the EHS Athletic Director, along with former head coach athletic director and founder of the Ellsworth program Kirby Symes and many former wrestlers coaches throughout his career in a video presentation.

"This is all so tremendous I can't thank everyone enough," Radabaugh said. "It's special to hear and see the impact you've had in people's lives from your family, your coaching peers, your friends, the wrestlers themselves and their parents and those with the school and community you've worked with for a long time. It's really special."

Radabaugh is both a state and national wrestling hall of famer. He won a national championship in junior college in Rochester and has a record of 489-58 in dual meets while coaching five state championship teams and 18 individual state champions. Radabaugh said he'll stay on as a coach for at least another season after the current one concludes.

EHS head coach Chad Steldt said Radabaugh's presence on the coaching has helped a great deal in his transition as head coach.

"I've been fortunate and blessed that I've always been around veteran, experienced coaches wrestling from youth level to now in coaching," Steldt said. "It's helped my wrestling and its been big help in becoming a head coach and I can't thank Jack enough for helping me be able to handle being head coach from an administrative, public relations standpoint, knowing how to handle people and student athletes and teaching the sport as well."

The Ellsworth Wrestling Association, which put on the presentation, also presented Radabaugh a gift of a new fishing boat which was parked right outside the gymnasium. The new boat was purchased from many generous alumni donations.

Tags: sports, prep, wrestling, ellsworth