Bob Callison of Gilbert, Ariz. has been named USA Wrestling’s Junior Person of the Year by USA Wrestling, the national governing body for amateur wrestling in the United States. This award goes to a nationally respected leader who works with athletes and programs on the Junior level (grades 9-12).

Callison has served as Junior Director for Arizona since 2007, and the Junior membership in the state has continued to grow since he assumed this position. He also serves on Arizona USA Wrestling’s Board. 

Membership among Junior athletes continues to grow in Arizona, and the state has added a folkstyle schedule for high school wrestlers as part of the USA Wrestling program.

He has been a coach and leader for Arizona’s Junior teams which compete at the Junior National Duals and the ASICS/Vaughan Junior Nationals. In 2009, with his guidance, Arizona placed fifth in Greco-Roman at both the Junior National Duals and the ASICS/Vaughan Junior Nationals, the highest finish in state history. Since he has been Junior Director, Arizona has developed 10 Junior Nationals champion and 65 Junior Nationals All-Americans.

Callison has participated in USA Wrestling’s State Leadership Meetings from 2008-2011, and attended the USA Wrestling Silver Coaches College in 2010. He has organized and conducted National Coaches Education Program Bronze-level clinics in Arizona since 2007.

Callison is the coach for the East Valley Wrestling Club in Mesa, Ariz. He started this club in 2007, and the club has grown to 110 members by 2010. Since 2008, the East Valley WC has developed 11 wrestlers into USA Wrestling All-Americans. 

He serves as head wrestling coach at Mountain View High School in Mesa, one of the state’s top programs. Callison has compiled a 205-92-1 record as a head wrestling coach in Arizona. Mountain View finished second in the 5A Arizona High School State Championships in 2008. Callison has coached nine individual state champions and 31 state placewinners.

He served as the president of the Arizona Wrestling Coaches Association from 2000-2008. He has been co-director of the Arizona Wrestling Coaches Association Coaches Clinic sinde 2008. Callison has also served on the Arizona Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Wrestling Rules and Games Committee since 1998.

Callison was a state qualifier for Kewaskum High School in Wisconsin. He was an NAIA qualifier, Wisconsin state college conference runner-up and four-year letterman for the Univ. of Wisconsin-LaCrosse.

“I had a great high school coach in Wisconsin who had a great influence on my life. But, in Wisconsin at the time, my coach could not coach me in the off-season. In Arizona, where I can coach my club in the off-season, I can have a huge impact on their lives. In Arizona USA Wrestling, there are so many people doing great things for the kids. To be able to contribute and do my best for Arizona wrestling is rewarding for me,” he said.

Junior Person of the Year
1997 - Tom Lehman, Michigan
1998 - Don Murray, New York
1999 - Bob and Sue Siar, Pennsylvania
2000 - Al Billings, Iowa
2001 - Gene Krebs, North Dakota
2002 – Ed Gould, New York and Pete DiBiase, New Jersey
2003 – Sam Harnsongkram, Louisiana
2004 - Patricia Fox, New Jersey
2005 – Mike Dowden, Indiana
2006 – Chris Curtis, New Jersey
2007 – Sue Siar, Pennsylvania
2008 – Mike Juby, Kansas
2009 – John Carlson, Arizona
2010 – Mark Reiland, Iowa
2011 – Bob Callison, Arizona