Jon Peterson
Class of 2002
Grayslake
A 1957 graduate of Riverside High School in Milwaukee, Jon Peterson competed in football, wrestling, and baseball. He attended Carthage College and graduated in 1961 with a degree in Mathematics. While at Carthage, he competed in football and baseball. He also helped form a wrestling club in 1958. This club was later dropped due to lack of institutional support. Jon received his Master’s Degree in Mathematics from Northeastern Illinois University:
Jon began teaching and coaching at Niantic-Harristown Jr. High School in 1961. He coached baseball, basketball, and track. He started the wrestling program at Niantic-Harristown High School in 1962 and coached football and wrestling at the high school until 1964. He then moved to Grayslake as an assistant in football, wrestling, and baseball. In 1965, Jon started the wrestling program at Ela-Vernon H.S., which was later renamed Stevenson High School. He went back to Grayslake H.S. in 1967 as head wrestling coach. He was varsity coach from 1967 until 1980 and from 1991-1993. His teams won three conference championships and had several state qualifiers with three state place winners.
In addition to serving as a bench official at the I.H.S.A. State finals for over thirty years, Jon has worked in the same capacity at the Midlands, NCAA Tournaments, and freestyle tournaments. He has also served as a part-time math instructor at College of Lake County, and chairman of the math/science division at Grayslake H.S. Jon has also been a sworn deputy with Lake County Sheriff’s Department is currently a sworn deputy with Door County, WI Sherriff’s Department and is a certified first responder with the Door County EMS.