Dan Fickel has been associated with the sport of wrestling since 1969 when he joined the wrestling team at Schaaf Junior High School in Parma, Ohio. He competed at Parma High School from 1970-1973, at Cuyahoga Community College, from 1974-75, and at the University of Akron from 1976-77. A three-time national tournament qualifier, Dan registered an overall college record of 70-30.

Dan went on to teach Physical Education in the Fairview Park City School District in Fairview Park, Ohio for 35 years. He served as head coach at Lewis F. Mayer Middle School for over 15 years and his teams compiled an overall record of 72-12.

Since 1986, Dan has been a national editor, Ohio state editor, and contributing editor for the national publication Wrestling USA Magazine. He compiles rankings of high school and college wrestlers and was in charge of the magazine’s prestigious High School All-American Teams from 1999-2021. Dan has also done feature and historical stories on high school and college wrestling. He has also been a member of various selection committees for nationally prominent High School All-American Teams.

Dan received the Bob Dellinger Award, presented to the nation’s best wrestling writer, from Amateur Wrestling News in 2002. The award is named in honor of National Wrestling Hall of Fame Distinguished Member Bob Dellinger.

Dan was presented the Media Service Award at the 2003 Ohio High School Athletic Association State Wrestling Tournament for his outstanding dedication and service in covering the sport of interscholastic wrestling.  

Dan and his wife, Beth, are long-time residents of Northeast, Ohio. Their son, Brent Fickel, was the 2012 Ohio State Champion for Padua Franciscan High School and an NCAA All-American at Ashland University in 2015.