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By JOE PETRUCCI jpetrucci@leader.net
Sunday, March 09, 2003 Page: 4C
HERSHEY – Tunkhannock’s Frank Wadas is proof that a coach must withstand
the job’s ups and downs to stay in the business.
Wadas has experienced both. Two of the highs were a string of 15
consecutive winning seasons from 1975 to 1989 and two PIAA placewinners. One
low was the sudden death of his longtime assistant and friend, Joe Chwalek, in
December 2001.
Wadas has managed to stand tall, and the 31-year Tigers coach was honored
for it on Saturday when he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling
Coaches Association Hall of Fame at Giant Center.
“You’ve got to get through the tough years,” said Wadas, 57. “There’s
people who are going to try and make you leave.”
Wadas and Coughlin’s Dana Balum are the Wyoming Valley Conference’s senior
coaches, both with 31 years of service, although Wadas said Balum tries to
tell him he’s the senior coach because Wadas was an assistant at Tunkhannock
for four years before taking over the head coaching job. That’s a role Wadas
didn’t think would be a large part of his life for more than three decades.
“I figured it would be fun for about 10 years, but then you get hooked,”
said Wadas. “It’s become a big part of my life, my whole family’s life.”
Wadas said he still very much misses Chwalek, his right-hand man for so
long.
“We were like brothers,” said Wadas. “I still think the hardest thing is
not having him here. This would have meant just as much to him as it does to
me.”
Wadas, a 1964 graduate of Dallas High School and a 1968 graduate of
Mansfield University, was presented by his wife Patricia and Chris Thatcher, a
Tunkhannock 98-pounder who took sixth at states in 1988 and fifth in ’89.
Wadas, who teaches biology at Tunkhannock, was inducted automatically for
reaching the 300-win plateau in January 2002. Wadas became the fourth District
2 coach – Balum, Honesdale’s Rich Chulada and Abington Heights’ John Diven are
the others – to pass 300 wins. Wadas (317-236-1) is the 42nd winningest coach
in the state and is 21st among active coaches.
Wadas is the driving force behind the annual Tunkhannock Kiwanis
Invitational and serves as treasurer of the PWCA, but he doesn’t take all the
credit.
“My wife’s in charge of everything (else),” Wadas said.
Wadas’ passion for coaching was passed down to his youngest son, Matt, who
is a football and wrestling coach in Warren County, Va.