Class of 1998

Jerry Ancona

Lake Park

 

Jerry Ancona wrestled at Elk Grove Village High School for Hall of Famer Norman Lovelace.  While at Elk Grove he won 2 Mid-Suburban Conference Championships; placed in the Sectional 3 times and won the State Free Style Championship twice.  He also won the State Greco-Roman Championship once and placed 4th in the AAU National High School Free Style Championships.

For two years Jerry competed in wrestling at Cornell College in Iowa.  He earned his BA at Cornell and his Master’s Degree at Winona State.

Jerry became an assistant coach at Prospect High School for two years before moving to Lake Park high School, where he had been the Varsity Coach for 18 years.

Jerry's teams at Lake Park have won 294 duals; won 2 UpState Eight Championships; 4 Regional Championships; I Team Sectional and became a member of the Elite 8 in 1987.  He has had numerous Conference, Regional, Sectional Champions and place winners.  He has had 28 State Qualifiers, 13 State Place winners and 5 State Champions.

In 1981 Jerry was named the Illinois Italian American Wrestling Coach of the Year.  In 1986 and again in 1987 he was the Head Coach of Team Illinois at the USA Junior Nationals in Free Style.  He was nominated for Coach of the Year by IWCOA in 1987.  He was on the staff of the USA Team Illinois in Free Style for several years and was head coach for Team Illinois on the Exchange Trip to New York New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  In 1985 he was also one of the coaches for Team Illinois on the Exchange Trip to China.

Jerry served as President of the IWCOA in 1986.