Jody VanLaanen

            Jody VanLaanen was born and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin to Michael and Joanne VanLaanen. He was the second oldest of 7 children, 5 brothers and one sister. Jody loved to compete as he grew up and attended Ashwaubenon High School where earned 10 letters in Football, Wrestling and Track. He was a three-year,  two-way starter in Football, playing Running Back and Middle Linebacker. He was All Conference, All Metro and earned Honorable Mention All State Honors his Senior year in 1976.

            On the Wrestling mat Jody was a 4-year starter wrestling 155-185 pounds.

He was a State Qualifier in his last two years of High School. He was also an avid Free Style Wrestler earning honors as a two time All American, as well as Central Juniors National Runner-up. Upon graduation he traveled throughout Germany with the Wisconsin State Freestyle Champions. He accepted a partial scholarship to wrestle at UW Madison. After a knee injury and a red shirt year Jody and his fiancé Virginia transferred to UW Whitewater. While at Whitewater Jody was a two time All American with his wife Virginia at his side. Jody was later inducted into the Whitewater Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.

            Upon graduation Jody and Virginia started their teaching careers 4500 miles away in Adak, Alaska. There, Jody coached Wrestling at Bob Reeve High School for 3 ½  years, before returning to the lower 48 states. Upon their return Jody was the Head Coach at West Bend East 1986, Cuba City 1987, assistant coach at his mentor Larry Marchionda’s Fond du Lac  HS 1988-90, Head Coach at Green Bay West/Southwest 1991-92 before returning to Ashwaubenon HS to start his 29-year career there from 1992-2021. Jody had great assistants over the years, and he owes gratitude of thanks to his two main partners in crime, Andy Kurowski and Scott Phillips. You guys made the run so much fun!

            Career highlights for Jody were coaching all the fine young men over the years, who worked their tails off. Also coaching his son Jody to a 1st , 2nd ,5th and 6th place finishes at State. The other highlight was beating Wisconsin Rapids in the Team State Sectional and placing 3rd at Team State.

            Jody would also like to thank his friends, mentors and assistant who pushed to make this honor possible. Larry Marchionda, Andy Kurowski, Scott Phillips, Jody VanLaanen, AJ Phillips, Scott Andreson, Kyle Barnes, Brian Nelson, Chase DeCleene, AJ Stuiber and any others I may have missed.

            Jody and Virginia have 4 children, daughters Vanessa and Aaron Aichele,

Joy Rockstroh (boyfriend Tony Vernon), Jenifer and Peter Zobro, son Jody and Allie VanLaanen. They also have 8 awesome grandchildren, Grace 14, Charlie 12, Maggie 10, George 6 Aichele, Avaya 12, Oscar 5 Rockstroh, Theodore 7, Penelope Zobro 6.

            Jody is very excited for the future as he watches his Grandchildren actively participate in their activities.

            Finally, he would like to thank his wife of 41 years Virginia. You are the Rock and the glue that makes our Family strong. Thank you Virg for all your love, sacrifice and support.

Wrestling Accomplishments

-          Two-time State Qualifier at Ashwaubenon High School

-          1976 Germany Tour Exchange Team

-          1975-76 Two-time National Freestyle All American

-          1976 Runner-up Central Juniors National Championship

-          1976 Accepted partial Wrestling scholarship to UW Madison

-          1980-81 Two-time All-American UW Whitewater

-          1980 Junior Year 6th NAIA Championships

-          1981 Won WSUC Championship, earning the John Peterson Award as the Outstanding Wrestler in the tournament.

-          1981 Senior year placed 7th in NCAA Division III Championships

-          1997 Inducted into the UW Whitewater Athletic Hall of Fame

Coaching History (39 years)

-          1982-1985 Head Coach, Bob Reeve HS, Adak, Alaska

-          1985-1986 Head Coach, West Bend East HS

-          1986-1987 Head Coach, Cuba City HS

-          1987-1990 Assistant Coach, Fond du Lac HS

-          1990-1992 Head Coach, Green Bay West/Southwest

-          1992-2021 Head Coach, Ashwaubenon HS

Overall Dual Record -          317-180

Conference Championships (7-time Conference Coach of the Year)

-          2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2011-12

All Conference Wrestlers -          125

Regional Championships       -  2004-05, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2018-19  

Individual State Tournament                                  Team State Tournament

-          52 Qualifiers                                                               - 3rd 2007-08                      

-          30 State Place Winners

-          4 State Champions