A native of Charles City, Iowa, John Monroe's connection with wrestling covers that of an athlete, a coach, an administrator and an official.

While he admits readily that he was not much of a wrestler, it did allow him to forge positive relationships with Coach Gene "Curly" Steinkamp; his son Dave, a high school wrestler and later a successful coach at East Buchanan and Winthrop; and close friend Rich Gray. Gray, a member of the National wrestling Hall of Fame, was also his mentor and officiating partner for 23 years until his death in 2006.

As a coach, Monroe spent two seasons at Northeast High School in Goose Lake, where he had two state qualifiers, and five seasons at South Hamilton High School in Jewell, where he directed four wrestlers to the state meet, including one finalist.

He left coaching in 1976 to take up officiating and to devote more time to his administrative duties. Monroe left South Hamilton in 1980 to become a high school principal at Red Oak for two years. He then spent14 years at Southeast Warren before taking over at Indianola in 1997.

He spent 30 years as an official, retiring after the 2006 state meet. He was selected to work the state meet 23 years and 17 years he worked the state dual team tournament.

Monroe was selected state wrestling Official of the Year in 1991 and was named district Official of the Year six times.

In 1991 he was selected state wrestling Official of the Year and sandwiched that honor with six times being named district official-of-the-year. He has been active in the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association as an officer and committee member while also being a presenter at Iowa High School Athletic Association rules meetings.

Monroe was selected for the IHSAA Officials Hall of Fame in 2000 and was named Iowa Secondary School Principal of the Year in 2002.