Alvin Turner
Coach/Contributor ⋅ Class of 1999
Chicago Parker
Al is from Chicago Parker High School, where he was a State Qualifier. He attended Wilson Junior College where he was the Junior College Conference Champion. He then attended Western Michigan University, where he lettered. Upon Graduation, he began his teaching at St. Augustine Elementary School in Kalamazoo, Michigan – spent a year in Gary, Indiana and the n back to the City of Chicago.
While in Chicago, Al was a member of the Mayor Daley Wrestling Club for a number of years, placing in numerous Greco-Roman tournaments, also AAU Champion. Teaching and Working for the Chicago Board of Education found Al at Bogan High School, Robeson-Creiger Vocational; Simeon Vocational; Fenger; Wilson Junior College; Kennedy-King Junior College; Olive Hardy Junior College.
While Coaching at the Junior College and Wrestling for Mayor Daley Club, Al was the National Junior College Coach to the Junior College Pan Americans in Puerto Rico – This Team was the Champion Team. He was also later the Assistant to the Senior Pan Americans in Cuba in 1983.
During this time Al was involved with the Illinois Wrestling Federation as the Head Greco Roman Coach for the Junior Nationals. He also was well-known as a clinician at the Pocono Sports Camp in Pennsylvania for 10 years.
For the past 13 years Al has been an Assistant at Homewood -Flossmoor High School, where he has been named SICA Assistant Coach of the Year. He has also won a Nomination from the IWCOA as an Assistant Coach of the Year.
The IWCOA named him a Friend of Wrestling in 1987.
Al received his MA from Northern Illinois University in 1973.