A 40 year veteran coach and official (26 years as a head coach) as well as an outstanding high school and college wrestler, Jerry Cleveland was a huge success of legendary proportions from north central to northwestern Minnesota. The Staples, MN native retired in 2010 after a long and successful coaching and officiating career. Cleveland's coaching stops were in Coleraine in 1967-68 (as an assistant while wrestling at Itasca JC), Cass Lake-Bena HS in 1975-77 ( assisting while at Bemidji State), Elbow Lake 1978-79 (first head coaching position), Cass Lake-Bena Hs from 19781981(Head Coach) , Cambridge High School from 1982-1985 (Head Coach), then pursued administrative positions from 1986-1998 while coaching at Cass Lake-Bena and BCLB (Blackduck, Cass Lake-Bena). After the 1998 school year Cleveland moved to Illinois following his wife Hedi who had a federal job in Chicago and he was a volunteer assistant coach for a powerful Moline Maroons large school team which won a state championship and a third place finish during that time. Jerry's wife then was transferred to Pierre, South Dakota where Jerry served as a principal first in White River, SD where he also coached football, as they did not have a wrestling program . Cleveland then moved to a principal position in Onida SD (Sully Buttes HS), where he was able to save a wrestling program that was on the cutting block, by taking on head coaching duties there as well. Cleveland retired from Sully Buttes and returned to MN in 2010 with his two young children Serena and Dylan. In 2013 Cleveland decided to move to the San Diego CA area with his children so that they could be closer to their mother who was working in that area and Jerry's sister, Rita, who is a long time resident in CA. Cleveland remained retired but volunteered at Steele Canyon High School doing so some administrative writing and at Hillsdale middle School doing supervision of students and assisting coach the "run club" for three years. Now, back residing in Bemidji, MN Cleveland continues to work at the Big Bear Tournament each year in Cass Lake, the Section 7A tournament also held in Cass Lake, and the State Tournament working tables and announcing for Prep 45. He voluntarily goes into the wrestling rooms at Bemidji High School and Cass Lake - Bena/Blackduck frequently as well. Legendary Hall of Fame Staples High School Wrestling Coach, Don Dravis, served as Cleveland's high school coach and was quoted as saying "Jerry was the most mentally tough wrestler I ever coached." Cleveland was a 3 time state qualifier in the old "one class" tournament system during the 60's and had the honor of being the first state place winner for Staples as a "runner-up" in 1966 when a junior and a "third place" finisher as a senior in 1967. Cleveland attended Itasca Junior College in Grand Rapids after high school and played a year of football and wrestled that year. He captured NJCAA AllAmerican honors by placing 4th in the national tournament. In 1969 Cleveland left college and joined the US Army and served in the Republic of Vietnam in 1969 and 1970. Returning home he worked construction until 1973 when he decided to return to college at Bemidji State and found himself once again wrestling. In 1974 Cleveland again received All-American honors placing 4th in the NAIA tournament for Bemidji State. Also in 1974 Cleveland was named "Most Valuable Wrestler" in the Northern Intercollegiate Conference. He defeated his opponent in the finals by a score of 22-1. After success as a competitive wrestler Jerry pursued coaching and accumulated over 280 wins in his career. He coached several Cass Lake-Bena wrestlers to state and along with co-coach Steve Bechtold of Blackduck, gained 3 state tournament team entries including a 3rd place finish in 1998. Cleveland produced many state qualifiers over his career and 14 state place winners in Minnesota and several also while at Sully Buttes H.S., South Dakota. Cleveland was honored for his coaching success by being inducted into the Dave Bartelma-Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 2005 and along with Co-Coach Steve Bechtold was selected as Minnesota State-Class AA "Coach of the Year" in 1998. Cleveland has served as a wrestling official since 1976 and officiated in Minnesota, Illinois and South Dakota as well as coaching. Cleveland served at Section Representative for a few years in Region 8 and also served on the Two Class System committee with the MSHSL as a coaching representative in the 80's. Cleveland has volunteered to work tables at the Minnesota State Tournament the past several years. Minnesota Chapter - NWHOF President Spencer Yohe, in his "Where Have They Gone" column for the Guillotine said, "Jerry always stressed citizenship, sportsmanship, commitment and dedication, and, of course, hard work! He always gave his wrestlers second chances and paid attention to the needs of each individual as well. " Jerry was also a promoter of the "wrestling fraternity" in Minnesota . He headed up an annual long-running Region 8, 7, and 6 Coaches Fish Fry and Golf Outing the second weekend of fishing in May. "It's a Classic Event" says Spencer Yohe! Cleveland is currently a single parent. HIs first wife, Barbara is deceased, and their daughter Vanessa died n a tragic car accident in 1993. His oldest son, "Sammy Cleveland" was a state place winner wrestling for his dad in 1992 and currently resides in Bemidji and has young wrestlers coming up! Cleveland also has a young daughter, Serena from his marriage with Hedi Bogda, and Serena is graduating high school this year, and they have a son, Dylan, who is a freshman in high school this year at Bemidji and just experienced his "first year of wrestling"! Hedi is an attorney currently residing in California and her parents Ted and Esther Bogda reside yet in Bena, MN on a lake, where Jerry and the kids frequently gather for holidays, good food, and fishing at the grandparents place! Jerry's hobbies include walking, jogging, golf, hanging around wrestling mats, and his first love fishing, especially for walleyes! West Central and northwestern Minnesota is proud of their wresting and Jerry Cleveland is certainly a name remembered in the forefront of success in that part of the state.