Directors of Student Activities (still called “Athletic Directors” by old-timers) are important and busy administrators in a school system, with their attention and effort spread year-round across a couple of dozen sports and as many more after-school clubs and organizations. It is thus a rare DSA that attracts praise and recognition for being a particular friend to wrestling, but such a personage is Marc Cole, long-time DSA for Orange County HS.

Born in Oil City, PA, on August 12, 1960, he is the older of two sons of Walter H. and Lavinia R. Cole. He was a multi-sport athlete, playing football, basketball, and baseball at Oil City Senior HS. He continued his education (and baseball career) at the small but mighty wrestling power, Clarion State College.

Moving, as many Pennsylvanians do, to Virginia, Cole began his career at Orange County HS in 1983 as a math teacher (ten years) and a coach of baseball (two years) and softball (four years). In 1984, he combined with these positions the job of assistant DSA, and in 1987 began his 30-year tour as DSA and major contributor to the flourishing of wrestling in central Virginia.

He credits his longtime involvement in wrestling to the late Hall of Fame wrestling coach John Kayajanian. “Coach K” and his DSA organized many well-run in-season wrestling contests at OCHS, and they were also known as the go-to venue at playoff time: host of 27 district/conference tournaments and 14 regional tournaments. Coach Cole worked hard to improve the quality of wrestling events: advocating successfully for two-man officiating at regionals, and weighing in knowledgeably on wrestling issues and proposals through the years. He retired in 2016.

Marc Cole is grateful to be honored by wrestling people to be in the Hall of Fame class of 2020. He sees himself as representing the entire thriving wrestling community of Orange County. He now has the pleasure of keeping his two grandsons while his son and daughter-in-law teach in the Orange County school system.