Members of the Hess family in Washington have announced that the Mike Hess Wrestling Scholarship Fund has been established, due to the generous and thoughtful contributions from the wrestling community and other family friends.    Mike Hess, an outstanding wrestling referee and leader within USA Wrestling, in Las Vegas, Nev. last May after becoming ill while attending the U.S. National Wrestling Championships as an official. Thanks to donations from across the nation, a special scholarship program will provide a senior wrestler from Edmonds-Woodway High School a $1,000 college scholarship. Each year, this scholarship will be provided to another worthy student-athlete.    Hess has received a number of major awards and recognition within the wrestling community in recent months. During the Junior and Cadet Nationals in Fargo, N.D. last summer, Hess received two major USA Wrestling awards, the Official of the Year and the FILA Junior/University Leader of the Year.    In addition, Hess was inducted into the Washington Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame. According to his family, this was one of Mike's personal goals. In addition, starting with this year's Edmonds Invitational Wrestling Tournament, an award in his honor will be presented for the best sportsmanship during the tournament.    He graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle in 1965 and was a letter winner in wrestling. He began his teaching career in Edmonds, Wash. the same year and became the head wrestling coach at Edmonds High School in 1968. He coached and taught for 34 years at Edmonds High and then Edmonds-Woodway High.     During his coaching tenure, he coached several state champions and several highly ranked teams. He served a four year term as President of the Washington Wrestling Coaches Association and was active with the State Athletic Association. He was instrumental in helping wrestling grow at the high school level throughout the state of Washington.     In the early 1970's, Hess began to promote freestyle wrestling, becoming an international referee and helping found the Washington Wrestling Federation. His efforts helped develop a strong program in the Northwest. Mike attained a USA Category 1E and a FILA Category 1 while officiating at every level of competition. Within the Washington Federation, Mike served as Cultural Exchange Director and organized many trips for Washington wrestlers to foreign countries like Japan and Russia.    In 1990, he served as Competition Director for Wrestling at the Seattle Goodwill Games, one of the most successful international wrestling events ever held in the United States. In 1996 Mike served as the Director of Staging for wrestling at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. He was the man who sent the athletes to the mats and kept a smooth flow throughout the event.     He and former University of Washington wrestling coach Jim Smith co-chaired a committee of wrestling enthusiasts who are pushing to have the sport reinstated at Washington and Washington State.     "We are incredibly proud of our Dad's accomplishments and overwhelmed by how many people he touched during his life," writes his daughters Erika and Trina. "We ask that you keep his spirit alive by sharing with others his beliefs, passions and traditions."    Those who wish to contribute to the Mike Hess Scholarship fund, or seek more information, can contact his daughters directly. Please contact Erika Hess Hobson, 1701 Bryant Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301 (erika@hobson.org) or Trina Hess Myklebust, 4324 NE 55th, Seattle WA 98105 (erictrinam@aol.com)