JOE FRANK

Frank's Team 1959 Cresco
Cresco Wrestling History
Crestwood Wrestling Home Page

Accomplishment:Won Class B 127-pound championship in 1959, defeating Jason Ethrington of Algona, a class B 1960 133 pound State Champion.

In 1959 Frank started a family tradition with his win. His brother, Omar, won a state championship for Cresco 2 years later, and their nephews-Tim , Jim, Joe, and Jeff Gibbons combined for 10 Championships for Ames High School.

"Just coming from Cresco was probably a little edge that I had because their was a lot of other guys that had done similar things in the wrestling arena," Frank said. " Having a good coach like Flanagan was an asset."

Frank wrestled at and graduated from Iowa State University. At one time 6 state champion wrestlers were on the team coached by Harold Nichols.

Frank , who grew up on a farm 15 miles from Cresco, said his interest in wrestling was started by neighbor Charles Johnson, who took him to meets at Cresco and New Hampton.

Frank coached wrestling for 20 years. he replaced Chuck Patten, who took the job at Northern Iowa, as head coach at Reedsport High School in Oregon in 1964. Frank led the team to State Championships in 1965, 1966 and 1967. He moved to Fridley , Minnesota, and won titles in 1973, 1975 , and 1979.

WHERE IS HE NOW?: Frank retired from a 36 year teaching career. He and his wife , Janet, live in New Brighton, Minnesota.