One of the powerhouse high school coaches that dominated the wrestling scene in Minnesota in the 1970ʼs and Oregon scene in the latter 1960ʼs was Joe Frank. His Fridley High School teams produced some great wrestlers and teams, as did his Reedsport High School teams in Oregon. Joe came to Minnesota from Oregon, where he coached at Reedsport High School, located on the Oregon coast. In the three years he coached there he produced eight individual State Champions, with sixteen state qualifiers. His teams won three State Team Titles in 1965, 1966 and 1967, accumulating a 31-8-1 dual meet record. Joe was named Oregon 2-A "Coach of the Year" in 1966 and 1967. In 1968 Joe and his family moved to Fridley High School in Minnesota. During his career at Fridley, Joe coached five individual State Champions and three teams to State Team Championships in 1973, 1975 and 1979. His 1973 team won the old and tough "one class" individual tournament. The 1975 team won the original "one class" dual meet state title. The 1979 team won the Class AA "two class system" state title. They won ten Conference team titles and ten District team titles. He coached at Fridley High School for 17 years, from 1968 to 1985. His Fridley teams accumulated an overall 227-31-1 dual meet record. Frank continued teaching at Fridley until his retirement in 2000. Frank was named Minnesota "Wrestling Coach of the Year" in 1973 and 1975. Joe says, "I feel blessed and thankful to have worked at two wonderful schools, some 1000 miles apart." Frank was inducted into the Minnesota "Dave Bartelma" Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2003 Joe was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame, as were his two nephews Jim and Joe Gibbons, both outstanding wrestlers for Iowa State University. As a wrestler, Joe began his career as a 14 year old with legendary Coach George "Chris" Flanagan at Cresco High school, located in Cresco, Iowa. Frank was a 127 pound State Champion in 1959. He went on to wrestle at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. At Iowa State Joe was coached by another legend in the sport in Dr. Harold Nichols. He was a three-year starter and 1963-64 Team Captain at ISU. In 1964 his Iowa State University team took second in the NCAA National Tournament. Joe was voted "Most Valuable Senior" that year by his teammates. Joe took graduate course work at the University of Oregon and University of California-Berkley. He received a Masterʼs Degree and Specialist Degree from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri. In retirement, Joe has not slowed down. He maintains a passion for fi tness and has been involved in competitive running, long-distance biking and horseshoe pitching. He also enjoys woodcarving, gardening and playing the fiddle. Joe is active in his parish, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. In addition, Joe is involved in Menʼs Fellowship Club, Eucharistic Ministry and mission trip to Guatamala. Joe married his high school sweetheart, Janet, in 1962. The Franks have three children in Jodie (Scott) Amble, Jon (Lisa) Frank, and Jill (Michael) Hendon. Joe says, "The best children anyone could ask for!" The Franks also have four beautiful grandchildren in Malena, Veronica, Noah and Elyse. The Franks recently celebrated their 50th year of marriage.