Tom Siar named USA Wrestling Official of the Year

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
07/27/2001


Tom Siar of Glenshaw, Pa. has been named 2001 Official of the Year by USA Wrestling, the national governing body for amateur wrestling in the United States. The selection was made by the U.S. Wrestling Officials Association, which is a part of USA Wrestling.    Siar has been one of the most active and respected referees in the nation for many years. He holds a USWOA rank of M1E and an international rank of FILA I.    He has officiated at every Cadet and Junior National Championships event since 1985, including the years that the tournaments were held in different locations.    Siar received the "Dick Riggle Award" from the U.S. Wrestling Officials Association in 1997, as the Outstanding Official at the Cadet/Junior National Championships. He also was named the Pennsylvania Official of the Year in 1989.    He served as a volunteer at the last two Summer Olympic Games, wokring with the Protocol Team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and with the IBM Results Team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.    Siar uses his computer skills to assist with the technical administration needs of the USWOA national office.    He becomes the third member of the Siar family to win the Official of the Year award. His mother Sue was the 1991 Official of the Year and his father Bob was the 1995 Official of the Year.    Two other USWOA awards were announced today and presented to the winners. Sonja Stanbro of Binghamton, N.Y. received the Bernie Norris Memorial Award as the Pairing Master of the Year. Mike Farnsworth of Longmont, Colo. was presented the Ivan Olsen Memorial Award as the Volunteer Pairer of the Year.    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