John Owen is to many the face of wrestling in Northern Idaho.

Having created the North Idaho College summer wrestling camp, he touched the wrestling career of many Idaho and Eastern Washington wrestlers and coaches.

John's 47 years of involvement in wrestling, at both the high school and college level, span almost every aspect of the sport, wrestler, coach, mentor, trainer, and organizer.

John began his career as a high school coach in Oregon. In his three-year tenure, he coached three state champions and eight state place-winners.

In his 18-year career at North Idaho College, he coached 35 wrestlers to individual championships and had 102 Junior College All-Americans.

Returning to wrestling at the high school level in Washington, he coached 10 wrestlers to state championships and had 38 state place-winners.

John coached the USA Freestyle Team against Cuba in 1991 and against Russia in 1992.

He was named Coach of the Year at the college level six times and twice at the high school level.

John is in the Junior College Hall of Fame, Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame, World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame, North Idaho College Hall of Fame, Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame, and Washington State Coaches Hall of Fame.

One of John's great accomplishments is the number of his wrestlers who have followed in his footsteps in education. In North Idaho, Eastern Washington and Western Montana alone there are more more than 25.