A tribute to “Buddha”

Athens alumni wrestlers honor their Hall of Fame coach

When anyone mentions Athens wrestling, late head coach Jerry “Buddha” Wagner is the first thing that comes to mind because he built the Athens program into a wrestling powerhouse in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Athens wrestling community honored Wagner during Thursday’s home varsity wrestling quad against Edgar, Crandon and Marathon. Wagner’s 33-year Athens wrestling coaching career spanned from 1962 until he retired in 1995.

During his coaching tenure, the Athens wrestling team won six WIAA Division 3 state championships in 1984, 1987, 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1995. The Bluejays also were WIAA state runners- up in 1980, 1986, 1990 and 1992.

Current varsity high school wrestlers from Athens, Edgar, Crandon and Marathon sat on the gym floor mats or in chairs attentively watching a video screen on the high school stage showcasing Wagner’s numerous accomplishments as Athens head wrestling coach.

Kraig Underwood, Athens’ only individual four-time state wrestling champion, sat with his Marathon wrestlers and coaches to watch the Wagner tribute video. This season he is coaching his freshman son, Blake Underwood, as Marathon’s varsity head wrestling coach.

“I was really happy that we were scheduled to come over for the duals.,” Kraig Underwood said. “It meant a lot to me to be able to be there with old teammates and guys that have been through the Wagner program.”

“It was a great tribute to a man that has positively affected so many lives of young men over the years and I’m so glad I was able to be there for it. I have lots of great memories and I am grateful for all the opportunities that he awarded us.”

Current Athens varsity wrestling head coach Jodi Gauerke also competed for coach Wagner in high school. He gathered all Athens wrestling alumni in the center of the gym on Thursday to talk about how much Wagner’s tutelage meant to all of them. They then watched Athens athletic director Craig Diedrich pull down a Wagner memorial banner hung on the gym wall next to the Athens wrestling team state championship plaques.

Gauerke was blown away by the number of Athens wrestling alumni who attended the varsity home quad to honor Wagner.

“Those who wrestled under Jerry “Buddah” Wagner will always have the experience and stories that will bind us forever,” Gauerke said. “Tonight was a special moment in the history of Athens wrestling, and to see the amount of alumni that showed up for his tribute truly shows the lasting influence he had in our lives.”

Besides Kraig Underwood, other Athens wrestling alumni currently coaching other local varsity high school teams are Dylan Williamson as a Marathon assistant coach and Tyson Zettler as an Edgar assistant coach. They stood with several other Bluejays wrestling alumni in the center of the gym with Gauerke.

Gary Beastrom, who was an Athens wrestling assistant coach underneath Wagner, got up and stood in front of the home bleachers while the Athens wrestling alumni gathered in a circle in the center of the gym floor.

Some of the notable Athens wrestling alumni who attended the Wagner tribute, besides Jodi Gauerke, were: Bill Coker, who was a wrestling offical for the home quad; Cliff Ange who is also a wrestling official that wasn’t working on Thursday; Dale Westfall, Todd Diethelm, Ryan Frahm, Darin Weiks, Chad Ellenbecker, Aaron Stencil, Joshua Blake and Tom “Chummo” Ellenbecker.