Willie Gadson, who passed away in 2013 after a year-long battle with cancer, coached Waterloo East High School from 2004-12.

His life was a microcosm of a dedicated wrestler and wrestling coach, whose career spanned high school and college.

He coached 16 state qualifiers and 10 state place-winners, including his son Kyven, who did not lose a match while winning state championships in 2009 and 2010. Kyven honored his father's memory by pinning his way to the 2015 NCAA championship at 197 pounds.

The elder Gadson was a two-time Big Eight Conference champion and All-American for Iowa State in 1975 and 1976. He also served as an assistant coach for the Cyclones from 1979-1982.

His love of the sport and those connected with it made him a popular coach and led to a successful coaching career.

He directed Eastern Michigan to its only conference wrestling championship in 1996, when he was also named the MAC Coach of the Year.