Niall Collins
Coach/Contributor ⋅ Class of 1999
Oak Park High School
Niall is a graduate of Chicago St. Mel’s High School where he starred in football. They did not have wrestling.
His collegiate days were at Lewis University where he played basketball; he later played semi-pro football for the Austin bears.
His teaching-coaching days began at Chicago St. Patrick’s High School where he was the sophomore coach and later the varsity line coach. During this time he became involved with wrestling and became their head coach. He developed 15 State Qualifiers with 5 Place winners, 1 a Champion. He also had the IWCOA Scholastic Wrestler of the Year. While at St. Patrick’s he hosted 13 Illinois Wrestling Federation Greco-Roman State Championships.
He moved to Oak Park in 1987 as a Wrestling Assistant to Hall of Famer Norman Parker. He became the head coach in 1995. He has had 4 State Qualifiers, and 3 Place winners. While at Oak Park he has been in charge of 12 Illinois Wrestling Federation Greco-Roman State Championships.
He has been the Team Coach for the Illinois Wrestling Federation Cadets, and has been on the National Team Staff numerous times.
He has officiated at the Wrestling Federation State tournaments both Free Style and Greco Roman for 25 years.
Niall has been named a Friend of Wrestling.