2024 Lifetime Service to Perry Wrestling Award Recipients

PERRY WRESTLING FOUNDATION IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE Janet Wilhelm and Mark Kirk AS THE 2024 RECIPIENTs OF THE LIFETIME SERVICE TO PERRY WRESTLING AWARD

Photo by Spencer Tetik

Watch the video to see the presentation to Janet Wilhelm and Mark Kirk, our 2024 recipient of the Lifetime Service to Perry Wrestling Award.

We are proud to present this award to two worthy honorees; it would be hard to find anyone that has done more behind the scenes for Perry Wrestling than these two.

The Foundation is proud to announce Janet Wilhelm as a recipient of the 2024 Lifetime Service to Perry Wrestling Award.

Janet’s involvement with Perry Wrestling began back in high school when Fred Waltermire had her doing the work of the Mat Maids before the Mat Maids even existed.  As a senior in high school, she was crowned the 1974 Perry Wrestling Homecoming Queen.

Since then, she has continued to be involved with Perry Wrestling including serving as the President of the Takedown Club while her son Russell was wrestling for Perry.

Janet was a founding member and very instrumental in getting the Perry Wrestling Foundation started.  It would take an hour to mention all of the things that Janet did for Perry Wrestling while serving on the Foundation.

Mentioning just three:

• She worked to prepare and submit the required documentation to enable the Foundation to be a 501(c)3 organization.

• She did exhaustive research to create a Perry Wrestling Alumni contact list.

• Always the energizer bunny, Janet was a key member of the committees that planned the 90-year reunion in 2012 and that built the Perry Wrestling Monument Park in 2016.

Although she was no longer a Foundation member, she was a tremendous help with planning of the Perry Wrestling Centennial Celebration in 2022.

The tradition continues with Janet’s son Russell who began wrestling for Perry at a young age and was a 2-time state champion for Perry and is currently the head coach for Deer Creek High School.  

Janet continues to help when needed and is dedicated to Perry Wrestling!

The Foundation is proud to announce Mark Kirk as a recipient of the 2024 Lifetime Service to Perry Wrestling Award.

Mark’s involvement with Perry wrestling began when he was a youngster and continued thru high school where he was a member of three state championship teams and he was a state runner-up on the 1975 state championship team.  Mark served as the team captain and crowned the Perry Wrestling Homecoming Queen that same year. 

Since high school, Mark has continued to have strong ties to Perry Wrestling by serving as the tournament director since 2010 for both the Junior High and High School Perry Tournament of Champions and this year he was the tournament director for the first ever Perry Girls Tournament of Champions.

Mark’s involvement in Perry Wrestling includes:

• writing “The Maroon Dynasty – The History of Perry Wrestling”

• writing wrestling articles for the Perry Daily Journal since 2009 

• and proudly serving on the Perry Wrestling Foundation from 2010-2022.  He served as president when the Foundation celebrated the 90-year reunion and during the construction of the Perry Wrestling Monument Park.  He was vice-president during the planning of the Centennial Celebration.

In 2017, Mark was inducted into the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, where he joined 12 other Perry alumni who have received this prestigious award, including his brother Mike.

Mark continues to help out whenever it is needed and we thank him for his leadership in advancing Perry Wrestling.

As a small token of appreciation for their passion and support of Perry Wrestling, Roger Tetik, President of the Perry Wrestling Foundation will present a print of the Perry Wrestling Monument Park to Janet Wilhelm and Mark Kirk. 

In addition to their recognition, the names of Janet Wilhelm and Mark Kirk will be etched in granite at the Perry Wrestling Monument Park, forever recognizing their incredible support of Perry Wrestling.

2021 Lifetime Service to Perry Wrestling Award Recipient

PERRY WRESTLING FOUNDATION IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE CHUCK HALL AS THE 2021 RECIPIENT OF THE LIFETIME SERVICE TO PERRY WRESTLING AWARD

Photo by Spencer Tetik

Watch the video to see the presentation to Chuck Hall, our 2021 recipient of the Lifetime Service to Perry Wrestling Award.

Perry Wrestling Foundation is proud to announce Senator Chuck Hall as the 2021 recipient of the Lifetime Service to Perry Wrestling Award.

 The Hall Family has a long and proud history in Perry as Chuck is a 4th generation descendant of a pioneer family that settled in Perry during the Cherokee Strip Land Run and the 3rd generation of a banking family that spans over 160 years. 

 Chuck has always been very active and supportive in countless activities and organizations in and around Perry, including serving two terms as Mayor of Perry. Chuck was elected to the Oklahoma State Senate in 2018, representing Noble, Pawnee, Logan, and Kingfisher counties. 

 Chuck got his start in wrestling early as he was a member of the Perry Wresting team for many years, including being a proud part of the 1985 state championship team.

 Chuck and Perry Wrestling go hand in hand as he has been an active and energetic supporter of Perry Wrestling for over 25 years and counting.  Under Chuck’s leadership, Exchange Bank has been the proud sponsor of the Perry Tournament of Champions as well as providing vital support to numerous wrestlers and teams.  Whatever the need, Chuck is always eager and happy to support Perry Wrestling and his passionate support has helped Perry maintain its title of Wrestling Capital of the World! 

 In addition to his support of the Perry Wrestling teams, Chuck, from the very first meeting, played a critical role in every phase of the successful completion of the Perry Wrestling Monument Park.  In fact, the project may not have ever gotten off the ground if it wasn’t for Chuck’s knowledge and determined efforts working with the City of Perry in gaining approval of closing the alley and moving of utilities. 

 As a small token of appreciation for his passionate support of Perry Wrestling, Roger Tetik, president of the Perry Wrestling Foundation, presented Chuck with a print of the Perry Wrestling Monument Park which states “In Grateful Recognition to Chuck Hall / 2021 Lifetime Service to Perry Wrestling Award.”

 In addition to being recognized this evening, Chuck’s name will be etched in granite at the Perry Wrestling Monument Park, forever recognizing his incredible support of Perry Wrestling.

 Thank you, Chuck, for your long-lasting and passionate support of Perry Wrestling!

2020 Lifetime Service to Perry Wrestling Award Recipients

The Perry Wrestling Foundation is proud to announce Dale Kirkhart and Darren and Julie Patton as the 2020 recipients of the Lifetime Service to Perry Wrestling Award

Harry Meshek (Dale’s son-in-law)

Darren and Julie Patton

Each recipient received a picture of the Perry Wrestling Monument Park which was presented by Roger Tetik

Recipient’s names will be etched in granite at the Perry Wrestling Monument Park, forever recognizing their incredible support of Perry Wrestling.

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Dale Kirkhart was an avid supporter of Perry Wrestling from the 1950s until his passing in 1983.   By day, Dale was a wheat farmer who also served as a county commissioner, but one of his true passions, was cheering on the Perry Maroon wrestlers.  Dale, who was a pitcher for Perry’s semipro baseball team back in his time, didn’t have a wrestling background, but that didn’t stop him from becoming one of Perry’s biggest fans. 

Dale was known for two things when it came to cheering on the team – 1.  He was going to be one of the first fans through the doors, so he could make sure he got his seat on the railing, front and center to enjoy all of action.  And 2 – early on, his daughter Carolyn Sue was always by his side and then later on, his wife Betty always attended the duals with him.  In fact, for a few years, Dale and Betty often times traveled with the team to the away duals.

Dale always enjoyed visiting with and getting to know the wrestlers.  It was well known around town that Dale loved to talk wrestling and that any conversation with him would quickly turn to the latest wrestling stories.

Dale’s Christmas present to himself was to attend the Geary Tournament.  For those two days, he just loved sitting in Geary’s cracker box gym cheering on Bob Drebenstedt, Lester Seat, Jeff Robinett and all of the Perry wrestling greats from that time.

During the 70s and until his passing in 1983, Dale formed a special bond with legendary coaches Leonard “Shorty” Shelton, Fred Waltermire and Terry Leonard. 

It was during this time that Dale started and was the key worker in what became a yearly tradition for the Perry Wrestlers.  Each year, Dale and other dedicated fans worked many hours to raise money to send the wrestlers to the NCAA Tournament.  This trip was a reward for winning a state championship and was a special time filled with many great memories for the wrestlers.  As usual, the businesses and people of Perry always came through, but it was Dale and other supporters that did the leg work to make sure it happened.  This was a time-consuming effort, but something that Dale loved to do and his way of saying thanks to the wrestlers.

In 1980, Dale was presented a plaque and belt buckle by the Perry Wrestling team to show their appreciation for Dale’s long-time support of Perry Wrestling.

Dale’s name will be etched in granite at the Perry Wrestling Monument Park, forever recognizing his incredible support of Perry Wrestling.

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Darren and Julie Patton are a husband and wife team that has supported Perry Wrestling for the past 30 years and they look forward for doing it for the next 30 years!  Darren and Julie got a quick start in their support of Perry Wrestling as they jumped in with both feet right after graduating from Perry High School.  Darren, a 1990 graduate, started coaching in the youth program in 1991.  Over the next 20 years, Darren coached along-side Don Huff, Eddie Moses and Kyle Klinglesmith in developing the youth wrestlers that went on to win numerous high school state championships.

 Not only did Darren develop future champions, he developed life-long relationships with his wrestlers.  To this day, wrestlers that he coached, like Laddie Rupp and Dusty Ward, affectionately refer to Darren as “Coach” when they run into each other.

 Darren, always working as an unpaid volunteer coach, unselfishishly gave his time to coach his wrestlers.  It wasn’t uncommon for wrestlers like Herb Polk, Tris and Victor Atkinson, Homer Thompson, Joel Marler and Tony Kegin to spend the night at Darren and Julie’s house to make sure they would make Saturday’s early morning weigh-in.

 Another example of Darren’s passion for coaching was the sacrifice that he made every deer season.  Darren loves deer hunting, but for many years he passed up many hunting opportunities to take the wrestlers to the tournaments.

 One year, Darren not only served as the youth coach, but he also assisted Tony Macias in coaching the junior high team.

 Julie’s support of Perry Wrestling wasn’t serving as a coach but serving as coordinator of a critical part of the Perry Youth Program.  Starting right out of high school in 1991 and continuing to THIS day, Julie has served as the all-important coordinator for the concession stand at the Perry Novice Tournament.  The concession stand is a vital fund raiser for the program and there is a LOT of work that must be done before, during and after the tournament to make sure everything runs smoothly.  Well for 30 years now, the person most responsible for that is Julie Patton.  And Don Huff, the person most involved with that program, says she has done it perfectly for all of those years!

 Darren and Julie’s support of Perry Wrestling doesn’t stop in what they contributed to the youth program as they have been enthusiastic supporters of the high school team for the past 30 years and like fellow recipient Dale Kirkhart, have traveled the state cheering on the wrestlers.  In fact, one year they were named the Fans of Year and recognized by Head Coach Scott Chenoweth at the wrestling banquet.

 For many years, they have also volunteered their time working at the Perry JH and HS Tournament of Champions.  For coaches, a critical factor in any tournament is the all-important Hospitality Room.  Perry, of course, always stocks their Hospitality Room with the most delicious home-cooked food and Julie was certainly a key part of the team to stock and staff the Hospitality Room for the tournaments.  Darren was always around helping run the staging area or wherever he was needed during the tournament.

 Darren and Julie’s love of Perry Wrestling also extends to their family, as it is not uncommon to see Darren, Julie and all of their family at the duals.  Daughters Katie and Makayla served as Mat Maids for many years, with Katie being crowned Wrestling Queen in 2010 and Makayla being crowned Wrestling Queen in 2015.  Son Logan was a member of three state championship teams and was a 2019 state qualifier.  And the cycle is getting ready to start all over again as 3-year-old son Ryker will soon be on the mat starting his career as a Perry Maroon wrestler!

 Like Dale, Darren and Julie’s names will be etched in granite at the Perry Wrestling Monument Park, forever recognizing their life-long support of Perry Wrestling.

Click here to see past recipients of the Lifetime Service to Perry Wrestling Award