Joel Viss – Chatfield, 2023 Lifetime Service Honoree

Joel is one of six sons born to Paul and Carolyn Viss. Born in Willmar, MN, the family moved to Hancock shortly after he was born, and he remained there through high school. Viss wrestled under Hall of Fame Coach Spencer Yohe from eighth grade through his senior year, also participating in football and track. His brothers all wrestled as well at one time or another. Much of his time was spent milking cows and putting up feed for a nearby dairy farmer. Joel picked up his work ethic from his parents, but it was supplemented by work on the farm and, of course, wrestling.

Upon graduating from High School, Viss attended Bemidji State University and earned a major in Biology and Coaching and a minor in Mathematics. After his first year of school, Joel joined the Marine Corps Reserves and was shipped off to Paris Island, where he completed basic training. Viss was stationed in Minneapolis but continued to attend Bemidji State. During this time, he wrestled under Ken Martin and Ken Jordan for two years. The summer before his senior year, he was stationed in Quantico, VA, for Platoon Leaders Class. He had aspirations of becoming a pilot in the Marine Corps.

Prior to his senior year, Bemidji State had dropped wrestling due to Title IX issues, and Joel spent the winter coaching wrestling at Cass Lake with Head Coach Andy Niemczyk along with Bill Simpkins. Upon graduation, Viss was hired by the Chatfield School District as a Science / Mathematics Teacher and Head Wrestling Coach. He finished his time with the Marines and was honorably discharged as a Corporal. He later received his Mathematics major at Winona State University and received a Master of Education in Emotional and Behavioral Disorders from the University of Minnesota.

Joel taught Junior High Math and Science and coached Wrestling in Chatfield from 1984-2015. He thoroughly enjoyed his time as a teacher and coach and summarized the students and athletes that he worked with as bigger, faster, stronger, smarter, and, in most cases, more polite than he ever was. The biggest thrill for him was watching the athletes do things that they had earlier deemed impossible. Chatfield was Section IA Champions in 2000, 2013, and 2014 winning 4th place in 2000, 3rd place in 2013, and Class A State Champions in 2014. He finished his coaching career with a 399-242-5 record. He coached 44 Region or Section champs, had 81 state entrants, 36 place-winners, and six individual state champions. Joel served as a section representative and is a member of the MWCA Bartelma Hall of Fame as well as the MCC Region I Hall of Fame. Viss has a deep respect for his high school wrestling coach, Mr. Spencer Yohe, and over the years, Joel has begun to fully realize the huge impact that Coach Yohe has had on his life, beginning at an early age. He has also developed tremendous respect for coaches from opposing schools who have instilled such work ethic and confidence in their charges. Viss has tried to emulate what Mr. Yohe and the other great coaches from around the state were doing with their teams and found it had its benefits.

Joel was hired under the Rule of 90, and in 2015 took a three-year leave of absence which essentially led him into retirement. During those three years he worked for Barth Construction, Baker Builders, Teachers on Call, and received a Nursing Degree from Rochester Community and Technical College. After passing his Nursing Boards, he began working as a Registered Nurse for the Mayo Clinic. He currently works as a bedside nurse at Saint Mary’s Hospital in the Department of Orthopedic and Neurological Trauma. He has crossed paths with former wrestlers, coaches, and officials in his line of work, as their work ethic and boisterousness often brings them in. Being able to work with former students he had in Chatfield has been a blessing to him. When asked which he likes better, Joel is quick to say he misses the wrestling but also that there is a time for everything. He is willing to accept the challenges that his new life has to offer.

He attends Greenleafton Reformed Church and spends considerable time on various church boards. Although he now works year around, the twelve-hour days and nights allow for plenty of days off to enjoy his family, hobbies, and church work. One drawback is that he sees his friends less frequently than he did before because of the strange hours. In his spare time, Joel enjoys fishing, bow hunting, and taking motorcycle trips.

Joel and his wife, Margaret, who also works at Mayo in the Department of Laboratory Medicine, have two adult children. Justin is a new LT in the United States Marine Corps and stationed in Quantico, VA, and Isaac is in Medical School at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.

Margaret is originally from Chatfield and already had a deep connection with the wrestling program as her brothers wrestled, and her mom and dad were active members in the first Chatfield Wrestling Booster Club.