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Mr. John Richard Inducted into Section III Wrestling Hall of Fame

Social studies teacher Mr. John Richard was inducted into the Section III Wrestling Hall of Fame, along with five other members of the 2024 class, on October 19 at Theodore's Restaurant in Canastota.

The Section III Wrestling Hall of Fame is the highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of Section III wrestling and is earned by a lifetime of hard work and dedication to Section III Wrestling.

Mr. Richard started his wrestling career in fourth grade, entering the Herkimer Pee Wee program -- it was a natural outlet for the intense boy growing up on an East Herkimer dairy farm. During his high school career, he lettered in both football and wrestling, competing during his freshman and sophomore years for Hall of Fame wrestling coach Francis Hank Palczynski. Mr. Richard finished his high school career by winning the 1986 Section III Wrestling Championship at 155 pounds and placing fourth in the New York State Championships.

After graduating from high school, Mr. Richard enrolled at the University of Rochester studying economics and finance, and was a four-year letter winner in football, captaining the 1990 team while pursuing his master’s degree in education. Mr. Richard graduated from the University of Rochester in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics/finance and a master’s degree in education, and entered the teaching world at Aquinas Institute where he coached football and track, and was also the assistant varsity wrestling coach for Webster High School in Section V. Mr. Richard moved back to the Mohawk Valley in 1994 and took a teaching and coaching job at Mt. Markham High School where he met his wife Gina Abraham and coached football, track and wrestling.

At Mt. Markham, Mr. Richard worked to bring the Mustangs back to a championship program, winning the CSC league title in 2001. He also coached his first of many individual Section III Class tournament champions in Neil Case and Loren Winegard. After the 2001 wrestling season, the Richard family moved to Holland Patent where Mr. Richard continued his teaching and coaching career. At Holland Patent, he was determined to create a championship program while balancing life as a family man. Mr. Richard’s son Hunter was a standout football player and championship wrestler, while his daughter Rory was a record-breaking soccer player. Mr. Richard feels his children are his greatest accomplishment with Hunter graduating and wrestling for Cornell University and Rory pursuing a business degree and competing in women's soccer for Utica University.

Mr. Richard’s involvement in wrestling has extended past the coaching realm, as he has been the NYS Modified Wrestling Coordinator since 2002 and has taught the NYS coaching classes for the past 25 years. Both endeavors have allowed him to constantly give back to the sports communities. He has served as a past CSC and TVL representative for the Section III Wrestling Committee and has helped in the development of the Section III Girls wrestling program. Mr. Richard has been active in the off seasons running the Golden Knights Wrestling Club -- providing year-round wrestling clinics and opportunities for area wrestlers.

During Mr. Richard's 33 years of coaching, he has amassed more than 420 dual-meet wins and has coached two three-time NYS champions -- his son Hunter Richard and Alex Herringshaw. He has a total of 31 NYS Qualifiers, two runners-up (Brian Stevens and Dan Fruscella), 19 NYS place winners, 15 Section III champions, and 79 Section III place winners. He has had 20 wrestlers with more than 100 wins and three wrestlers surpassing the 200-win mark. Mr. Richard's teams have been ranked in the top 10 of NYS six times, and he has won 11 league team titles (seven TVL / four CSC), with his 2018 Holland Patent team winning the Section III Class C Team Championship. In 2020, Mr. Richard was awarded the George Peavey CNY Official's Award.

John RichardMr. Richard feels his passion and intensity for competition have allowed many of his former athletes to be successful in their future endeavors. Some of his fondest wrestling memories include watching former athletes such as Trevor Hiffa and his son Hunter compete at the NYS and NCAA Wrestling Championships. He has fostered enduring relationships with his athletes and peers and relishes the growth of so many of his pee wee wrestlers into successful wrestlers, professional young adults and colleagues.

Mr. Richard knows it takes a community and family to create success and wishes to thank the Mt. Markham and Holland Patent communities along with his entire staff over the years. Jordan Swalgin, Dylan Baird, Matt Rees, Marc Verri, Ren Szarek, Leroy Guyer, Brandon Lake, Jeremy Huntley, Chris Roth, and Ed and Brian Stevens, and his daughter Rory who is always there to help put down mats, help with concessions and set line ups. He also wishes to thank his entire family, his parents, his brothers and sister, and most importantly, his wife Gina and his children -- without their unwavering support and guidance none of this would have been accomplished.

Congratulations to Mr. Richard and his fellow members of the 2024 Section III Wrestling Hall-of-Fame induction class!