Takedown Report

Endowment fund to benefit Joliet Junior College wrestling program

TDR Editor’s Notes; Wonderful idea!
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The Joliet Junior College wrestling program once again has a bright future, thanks in part to a recently established endowment fund by former JJC student athlete Larry Wollschlager.

The $60,000 gift, which will fund wrestling equipment, supplies and technology, is in honor of former wrestling coach Henry Pillard. From 1964 to 1968, Pillard led the team to 60 consecutive victories. He would return in 1970, where he served as head coach for another 15 years. In that stretch, Pillard’s teams produced over 40 All-Americans, eight national champions, as well as numerous academic All-Americans and top 10 finishes. He’s a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Hall of Fame, as well as the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Official’s Hall of Fame.

Pillard’s coaching style and support of his wrestlers off the mat left a lasting impact on many, including Wollschlager (’69). “Being a young man from Chicago from a modest working family, with no money to attend college other than what I could save working odd jobs during the summer, Mr. Pillard’s sincerity and the fact that Joliet was a short distance from Chicago convinced me to give JJC a try,” Wollschlager said. Wollschlager recalls a coach dedicated to his recruits, who was able to develop his athletes’ skills to their greatest potential. Pillard’s passion for his wrestlers’ success extended to their performance in the classroom and away from campus. He was willing to assist his athletes in any way possible, Wollschlager said, even by providing temporary lodging to recruits who couldn’t afford it.

“Coach Pillard was a very unselfish man. He wanted his wrestlers to be successful. He was sympathetic to their status,” said Wollschlager. “There are many stories I heard from other wrestlers before me. Many of them had such high respect for Coach Pillard because they saw what he did for them and for so many of their wrestling buddies.”  Wollschlager credits the time and encouragement he received from Pillard to his successful wrestling career at the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP). Rest of the story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/20972

December 18, 2018 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment