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Yellow Jackets turn to Headlee, Yates to revive wrestling program
Waynesburg University has hired two successful high school coaches in Greene County in an attempt to rebuild its struggling wrestling program.
It was announced Friday that Ron Headlee, a former coach at Jefferson-Morgan, will be the Yellow Jackets' head coach and that he will be assisted by John Yates.
Headlee, a Waynesburg native, was an assistant for several seasons at Waynesburg High School under Yates, who resigned following the 2006-07 season, his 10th as the Raiders' head coach.
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Waynesburg was 0-11 in dual meets this season.
Headlee spent 10 seasons (1988-97) as head coach of Jefferson-Morgan and guided one of the most prolific wrestlers in PIAA history, Cary Kolat, to four state championships and a 137-0 record. Under Headlee, the Rockets had an impressive 111-25-1 record and won five WPIAL team titles. Headlee coached 24 WPIAL individual champions, 15 PIAA placewinners and seven state champs.
"My two high school coaches, Joe Ayersman and Ralph Adamson, were alumni of Waynesburg, and I feel privileged to get the opportunity to keep a great tradition going," Headlee said. "I am fortunate to bring with me a great assistant in John Yates, who I feel will be an asset to the program."
Following his stay at J-M, Headlee was the junior high coach at Waynesburg and assistant varsity coach. Headlee spent four seasons working with the varsity as his sons, Drew and Ethan - both now wrestling for Pitt - made their way through the Raiders' program.
Headlee is a 1982 graduate of Messiah College in Grantham. He is a member of the school's Hall of Fame. Headlee had a 101-16-1 career record and earned All-America honors in his senior season.
Yates started coaching in Waynesburg's system in 1988 under Ayersman, then Terry Cole. He became the Raiders' head coach in 1998 and produced six state titles for the program. Pat O'Donnell won in Yates' first season, Coleman Scott added three from 2002-04, Drew Headlee won in 2002 and Corbin Semple captured the last one in 2005. Yates coached 15 WPIAL individual champions and 20 state placewinners.
