Bob Bassuener

  As the youngest of five children growing up in central Wisconsin, Bob Bassuener was blessed with multiple role models within his own family including his parents Paul and Margarette and his siblings Darrel, Alan, Paula, and Randy.  Their unwavering love and support allowed him to thrive and truly appreciate the many blessings in his life.  He attended Auburndale High School and excelled in many of the same sports and activities as his brothers had before him.  In 1971, he was the quarterback for Wisconsin’s top ranked football team and won a state baseball championship.  He qualified for the WIAA state track and field meet, was a member of the National Honor Society, and was a drum major in the marching band.  It was wrestling though that became his primary focus and his greatest athletic success.  In the one-class wrestling system he was a two-time state qualifier, and finished as runner-up at the WIAA state tournament in 1971. 

After graduating from Auburndale, he went on to wrestle for the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point.  He competed for the Pointers for two seasons, placing at the Wisconsin State University Conference tournament and qualifying for the 1973 NAIA national tournament.  He then transferred to the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse where he would continue his collegiate wrestling career under coach Al Freeman.  Wrestling for La Crosse, he would again place at the ’74 and ’75 WSUC meets, and qualify for both NAIA national tournaments.  In 1975 he won the NAIA national championship at 142lbs, becoming the second individual champion in UW-L program history.  He was honored as the WSUC Medal of Honor winner, and the UW-La Crosse Scholar Athlete Award.  He would go on to compete with the NAIA international exchange team in Japan and Korea, and qualified to compete at the finals of the 1976 US Olympic trials. 

Following one season as a student assistant for UW-L, Bassuener accepted his first teaching and head coaching positions at West DePere High School.  In three years at the school, he would go on to coach the program’s first WIAA state tournament qualifier and placewinner.  Within those years he would also marry his wife Paula (Steebs), and have the first of their four sons (Luke, Scott, Matthew, and Michael).  Bob moved “home” to central Wisconsin in 1980 to help his older brother expand the Bassuener Construction company in Port Edwards.  He continued coaching as an assistant at John Edwards High School, and then as head coach for Wisconsin Rapids Assumption from 1982-1985.  As his professional and family lives grew, he was able to coach his four sons as an assistant with the Port Edwards youth wrestling program from 1984-1994 while also officiating various youth and high school events.  The John Edwards High School varsity wrestling program was dropped during the mid 1980’s, but Bob worked as a parent and community advocate to help restore the varsity program in 1996.  He was then called upon by athletic director Roland Kallstrom several times to step in as an assistant or interim head coach to assure the program’s survival from 1996-1998.  Ultimately, the two would work together with administration from neighboring Nekoosa High School to establish a cooperative program that would preserve the sport for the students of both school districts.

Bob stepped away from coaching after 1998 and focused his passion for wrestling into officiating.  His officiating career spanned from 1971–2014 with involvement at multiple levels and covering several additional sports including football, soccer, and softball.  His passion as an educator and mentor truly came forward in his last 15 years of officiating, with particular attention to wrestling and soccer.  He cherished the camaraderie within the fellowship sports officials.  Some of his favorite stories to tell involve teaching young officials how to not only enforce the laws of the game, but also how to manage the criticism and abuse that they unfortunately have to experience.  Even as a sports fan, he continues to play the role of the referee advocate.  He has been clearly heard at any number of sporting events passionately cheering for officials, especially when he recognizes that others in attendance have taken on a “less encouraging” tone.

He is hopeful that the community and family around wrestling can be a source of joy and blessing for others as is it has been for him throughout his life.