Class of 1998

John D’Ambrosio

Bremen

John D'Ambrosio wrestled for 4 years at Mundelein High School.   His collegiate wrestling career was at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where he wrestled on the varsity team all four years and was their co-captain.  He placed twice in the State of Wisconsin Conference and was a NAIA Qualifier.

He began his coaching career when he became a teacher at Rockford Boylan High School.  He coached wrestling for 1 year at Rockford and then went to Bremen High School where he has been since 1970. His wrestling teams have won 212 Duals; 3 Regionals; two 2nds in the sectionals; I0 second places in the SICA Conference West and Central and a 4th in the IHSA State in 1978.  John was SICA Coach of the Year in 1978. One of his wrestlers was Derrick Waldroup, a Hall of Famer and the Head Coach of the USA Army Team and a 1996 Olympian.

John was 09e of the organizers of the SICA Wrestling Coaches Association and a representative to both SICA West and SICA Central.  He has worked as an official at Free Style and Greco­ Roman Tournaments as well as at the Wisconsin-Whitewater Wrestling Camp.

John's coaching career includes being head football coach at Bremen where he has coached that sport for 14 years. His football teams have been in 7 of the last 9 playoffs and have won 6 conference championships. He has been selected as one of the coaches in the East-West Shrine Game and the North-South Sun-Times Ail Star Game.

His other coaching stints have been baseball, golf and track where his 1990 team won the SICA Central Championship.

John continues to coach football and teach English and American Literature at Bremen.