BOBBY DOUGLAS Lansing, Ohio

scrawny boy from Lansing, in collegiate history. He was the first wrestler Ohio, who was often bullied ever to complete his college career undefeat- because of his small physical ed (159-0), while winning four NCAA stature, Bobby Douglas Division I Championships. Sanderson was matured into one of the world’s also the first wrestler to be named the greatest wrestlers and coaches. “Outstanding Wrestler” of the tournament A He humbly attributes his four times, also claiming the prestigious Dan plethora of successes on the mats to his Hodge Trophy three times. grandfather and Coach George Kovalick. Coach Bobby Douglas traveled to As a competitor, Bobby Douglas began his and mentored on to an wrestling career at Bridgeport (Ohio) High Olympic Gold medal. Sanderson has attrib- School, where his coach was the legendary uted his collegiate and international success late George Kovalick. In fact, Bobby became on the mats to Bobby Douglas. the first black athlete to win a state champi- Over the years, Bobby Douglas has been the onship in Ohio. Also, an outstanding football head coach or on the coaching staff of numer- player, Douglas decided to put all his energy ous international teams, including U.S. into wrestling when he entered college. Olympic Freestyle Teams, U.S. World Squads, Following in the footsteps of his high school and Pan American Games Teams. coach, Bobby again wrestled for George As head coach of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Kovalick at West Liberty (WV) State College, Team, all 10 of his wrestlers were placed where he won an NAIA Title and was second among the top ten competitors in their in the NCAA Championships in 1963. After respective weight classes – a U.S. Olympic these successes at West Liberty as a sopho- Bobby Douglas first. He, likewise, produced six medal win- more, Coach Kovalick, who Bobby considers Lansing, Ohio ners, headed by gold medallists John Smith, to be the father he never had, suggested that Bruce Baumgartner, and . Due he could make a better name for himself at a Santa Barbara State University, Cornell to his coaching magic at the Barcelona, Spain traditional wrestling school. That fall, Bobby University, Arizona State University, and Olympics, Bobby Douglas was named USA Douglas transferred to Oklahoma State . Wrestling “Man & Coach of the Year” in 1992. University. At Arizona, Douglas coached the school’s Bobby Douglas, one of a handful of U.S. At OSU, Bobby Douglas won the Big Eight only Division I National Championship team gold certified coaches, has traveled the world Conference at 147 pounds. In point of fact, the in 1988. What is amazing about this title is the over. He is considered by the world’s Cowboys never lost a dual meet with fact that Bobby had no champions that year. If wrestling community as one of the top ten Douglas in the line-up, capturing a pair of that isn’t total team strength, I don’t know international wrestling technicians. I could go conference championships and the 1964 what is! While there, he coached the likes of on and on, but there’s not enough space. In NCAA Team Title. such wrestling greats as Eddie Urbano and sum, for his exceptional skill on the mats as a After graduating from college, Bobby Zeke Jones. competitor and coach, Bobby Douglas was decided to continue wrestling, and what a Bobby Douglas then moved on to Iowa inducted as a “Distinguished Member” into wise decision that was. Douglas went on to State, the hotbed of college wrestling. While the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1987. win five national championships and two there, Douglas’s teams placed in the top ten of He is also a member of the NAIA Hall of U.S. Olympic Trial Titles. He finished fourth the NCAA Tournament ten times. Three of Fame, the Ohio Hall of Fame, the Arizona in the 1964 Olympic Games held in , his squads won runner-up laurels (1996-2000- State University Hall of Fame, and most and he was the captain of the U.S. Olympic 2002) at the NCAA Championships. He also recently the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Freestyle team at the 1968 Olympic Games in produced seven national champions, 18 con- Hall of Fame. And just as remarkable, Coach . At the World Championships, ference champions, and a myriad of All- Douglas somehow found the time to write six Douglas placed second, third and fourth, Americans. In 2000, Douglas sent four world-class books on the art and science of the respectively. Cyclone wrestlers to the national finals, and mat sport. Bobby Douglas retired from competitive was named both the “Big 12 Conference Bobby Douglas earned his bachelor’s wrestling in 1970. That same year he was Coach of the Year” and “National Wrestling degree from Oklahoma State and his master’s named the nation’s “Most Outstanding Coach of the Year” for his efforts. He also won degree from Arizona State, where he was Wrestler.” His career record from high school the National Duals Title, defeating admitted to candidacy for his doctoral to the World Championships was 303-17-7, Minnesota. In 2002, Coach Douglas was degree. Douglas and his wife, Jackie, have an amazing .953 winning-percentage. But named by the Wrestling Institute in its news- one son, Bobby. there is much more to the Bobby Douglas magazine as “National Coach of the Year.” Congratulations, Coach Bobby Douglas! story. Moreover, his most amazing coaching feat You are truly the “Coaches’ Coach” and It was time to give back to the sport he came in that year as well. His name: CAEL Wrestling USA’s Magazine’s “2007 Master of loved so dearly, as a coach. Where do I begin? SANDERSON. Wrestling” award winner. In the collegiate arena, Bobby has coached at That year Cael became the greatest wrestler

Wrestling U.S.A. Magazine - May 30, 2007 page 7