Don Sondgeroth, recognized for several years as one of the country's top wrestling officials, slapped the mats for 38 years.

He was an outstanding referee-judge at all levels from youth to international and all styles and one of the best educators in the international styles.

He named the Official of the Year by USA Wrestling in 1980, USA Man of the Year in 1983 and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from USA Wrestling in 1994.

The Aurora resident, now retired, made a monumental contribution to wrestling during his tenure as the USWOA president in the early 1980s when he successfully merged officials from the rival USWF and AAU into a national organization of officials. He mellowed extremists of both sides, and showed the way for USA Wrestling to perform the same task.

He was an official in 36 national tournaments, including 16 as the head official. He was the head official at the 1984 Olympic Trials and participated in three Olympic Festivals. He also was the state director of Freestyle Officials.