Captain Frank S. Kapral supported wrestling throughout his life as a coach, official, author and organizer. Frank was the wrestling coach at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London for seven years (1960-66). Under his leadership, Coast Guard finished in the top five in New England five times, taking second in 1960. He had wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Division I tournament five times from 1960-66. He was appointed to the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee for New England in 1962. 

Frank helped wrestling blossom in eastern Connecticut and in the state. He founded the Coast Guard's Small Fry wrestling program in the 1960s for boys ages 4-18 and began the state's first Pee-Wee wrestling league. That interest helped spark varsity wrestling programs in many eastern Connecticut schools. Frank also served as commissioner of the Southern Connecticut Interscholastic Wrestling Officials' Association for nearly 25 years before retiring in 1984. Frank wrote two textbooks, including the Coach's Illustrated Guide to Championship Wrestling in 1964. Frank passed away in March 2020 at the age of 91.

Frank spent 26 years at the Coast Guard where he was an instructor, coach, assistant athletic director and business manager of athletics. Frank was part of the football coaching staff that led Coast Guard to an undefeated season in 1963 and a berth in the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando, Fla. He was head coach of the football team for two seasons in 1966 and 1967.

At the Academy, Kapral served on the permanent commissioned teaching staff and earned his Master of Arts degree in Physical Education. When his coaching days were behind him, he remained a fixture at the Academy, serving as the business manager of athletics until his retirement in 1984, by which time he had risen to the rank of captain.

Born on February 15, 1929 in Courtdale, Pa., Frank was the youngest of five children. He excelled in athletics at Luzerne High School, where he graduated in 1946. He went on to wrestle and play football for Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pa. 

Frank attended Michigan State University where he was a standout football player and wrestler. He was a national AAU 191-pound champion in wrestling and earned two letters in wrestling at MSU. He earned All-American recognition in football as the starting offensive guard on the undefeated 1951 Michigan State team.

Frank served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.

Posted by the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, May 2022