Gregory and Leanna Grater named USA Wrestling Kids Persons of the Year

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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
07/31/2004


Gregory and Leanna Grater of Green, Kan. have been named Kids Persons of the Year by USA Wrestling. The award annually honors a leader who has to made great contributions to Kids wrestling in the United States.    The Graters served as tournament directors for the Kids/Cadet National Folkstyle Championships for six years (1998-2003) and the Southern Plains Regional for the past two years.    Gregory currently serves as a Board Member on the Corporate Board of USA Wrestling Kansas and has served as the state's Kids Director since 1998.    In 1985, Gregory re-organized the Kansas Kids Freestyle/Greco-Roman camp held annually prior to the Southern Plains Regional.    Gregory has also held the offices of State Director Elect (1984), State Kids Director (1985) and State Tournament Director (1987-1998). He is a bronze-level certified coach.    In 1972, Gregory founded the Clay County Wrestling Club, one of the state's largest youth wrestling clubs. He remains as the Club Director and head coach.    Leanna is a pairing official, representing the state of Kansas at numerous USA Wrestling regional and national events. She is currently the State Secretary, a position she has held since 1998, as well as the co-State Tournament Director, a position she has held since 1987.    Along with Gregory, she has served as the co-tournament director for the Kids/Cadet National Folkstyle Championships (1998-2003) and the Southern Plains Regional (2003-04).    Leanna also serves as the secretary for the Clay County Wrestling Club.    Gregory was selected as the USA Wrestling State Person of the Year in 1997, and Leanna was named the USA Wrestling State Person of the Year in 2002.    Gregory and Leanna have four sons, all who have wrestled: Danny, Gavin, Courtney and Jacob. Gregory was a high school wrestler, and Leanna first got involved in the sport as a high school wrestlerette.    Kids Person of the Year  1978 - Bill Knapp, New York   1979 - Ken Coover, Kansas   1980 - Gary Hoyt, Nebraska   1981 - Pat Alexander. Washington   1982 - Dave Gliniecki, Washington   1983 - John Spencer, Idaho   1984 - Jerry Opbroek, South Dakota   1985 - Joe Edmonson, Nebraska   1986 - David Rudrud, Wisconsin   1987 - Virgil Moon, Oregon   1988 - Ron Wagner, North Dakota   1989 - Paul Corder, Missouri   1990 - Ron Reichert, Illinois   1991 - Randy Staab, Washington   1992 - Dan Drinkwine, Minnesota   1993 - Mike McCoy, Florida   1994 - Roger Hanson, Idaho   1995 - Norman Osteen, North Carolina   1996 - Kathy Hopkins, Wyoming   1997 - Steve Wachal, Iowa   1998 - Virgil Moon, Oregon   1999 - Frank Rader, North Carolina   2000 - Sue Siar, Pennsylvania   2001 - Paul DeFosse, Rhode Island   2002 -Steve Knipp, Iowa   2003 - Haswell Franklin, Maryland  2004 - Gregory and Leanna Grater, Kansas