John Branch of Bakersfield, Calif. was named USA Wrestling Official of the Year. He was selected by the U.S. Wrestling Officials Association (USWOA), which is affiliated with USA Wrestling.    Branch has been a referee for 14 years. He has a FILA-1 international rank and a USA 1-E national rank.    Branch is an at-large member of the USWOA Board. He serves as the Officials Director for California USA Wrestling. In addition, Branch is the director of the KCWA, the association for Kern County, within California USA Wrestling.    He serves as the chairman of the successful new "Top-Gun" program, a national officials education program that was launched this year. Three times this year, elite wrestling officials from across the nation came to the U.S. Olympic Training Center for this extensive officials training program.    Branch is currently working on expanding the Top Gun program to seven activities next year, including three Top Gun workshops for grass-roots officials.    He has worked numerous USA Wrestling national events on all age levels. He has also been the referee on a number of U.S. international tours, including trips to Korea, Poland, Ukraine, Cypress and other nations. Branch also officiates each year at the Dave Schultz Memorial International and the Sunkist Kids International Open, the two major international events held in the United States each year.    Being an official is a family activity in the Branch household. His son is also a mat referee, and his wife and daughter are pairing officials.    Branch is also a referee for high school and college wrestling. He has worked the California state high school championships, as well as Div. I college dual meets in his state.    He was a high school wrestler. Branch has coached wrestling on the high school level and has run kids wrestling programs in his community.    Official of the Year Award  1971 - Vince Zuaro, New York  1972 - Wes Hogland, Oregon  1973 - Dennis Fankhouser  1974 - Pat Lovell, California  1975 - Pat Lovell, California  1976 - Sam Williams. New York  1977 - Mick Pickford, Iowa  1978 - Charlie White, Colorado  1979 - Jon Schaus, Illinois  1980 - Don Sondgeroth, Colorado  1981 - Steve Bernhardt, Virginia  1982 - Gordon Weeks, Michigan  1983 - Bernie Norris, Illinois  1984 - Leroy Evans, California  1985 - Carolyn White, Colorado  1986 - Tony Melosci, New York  1987 - Santos Cageao, Ohio  1988 - Bob Dellinger, Oklahoma  1989 - Chuck Almeida, Florida  1990 - Eric Kopsch, Michigan  1991 - Sue Siar, Pennsylvania  1992 - Rick Tucci, Florida  1993 - Bill Stecklein, Pennsylvania  1994 - Jack Bowman, Indiana  1995 - Bob Siar, Sr., Pennsylvania  1996 - David Errett, Indiana  1997 - Chris Curtis, New Jersey  1998 - Tom Clark, Indiana  1999 - Mort Geller, Florida  2000 - Mike Hess, Washington  2001 - Tom Siar, Pennsylvania  2002 -Jan Hesser, Indiana  2003 - Douglas Molin, Indiana  2004 - John Branch, California