LIFETIME SERVICE TO WRESTLING

1992-2002: Wapato Middle School Wrestling Coach

2006-Present: Granger Middle School Wrestling Coach

1992-Present: Wrestling Official Yakima Valley Wrestling Officials Association

Sam Nishi wrestled for Wapato High School graduating in 1988. He wrestled in numerous state tournaments and placed 6th his senior year. After high school Sam worked at a lumber plant at night so he could coach middle school wrestling as well as other sports for the Wapato School District. After coaching for numerous years at the middle school level Sam went back to college and received his teaching degree in education from Central Washington University in 2006. In 2006 Sam started his teaching career at Granger Middle School teaching 5th grade. Sam has been a lifelong teacher, coach, and sports official. He has been a wrestling official for the Yakima Valley Wrestling Officials Association for the past 30 years and a member of the Washington Officials Association for 28 years. Sam is currently the Assigning Secretary for the Yakima Valley Wrestling Officials Association.

Nishi officiates all levels of wrestling, middle school, high school, and college. Over his 30-year career as a wrestling official he has worked 22 high school district and regional tournaments as well as 24 state high school wrestling championships. He has been one of the top 12 ranked wrestling officials at the state tournament the past 20 years. Sam represented Washington State and NFHS Section 8 on the National Federation High School (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee from 2014-2017. 

In addition to officiating wrestling Nishi also coaches wrestling at the middle school level. He was the wrestling coach at Wapato Middle School from 1992-2002 and has been the wrestling coach at Granger Middle School since 2006.  For his dedication to the sport of wrestling, he has received numerous honors. Sam has been recognized as the Middle School Wrestling Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2020. In 2008 he was awarded the Washington Officials Association State Wrestling Official of the Year Award and in 2009 was presented with the Swede Lindquist Award as the Yakima Valley Official of the Year. 

Beyond Wrestling Nishi has also actively coached and officiated middle school and high school football as well as baseball. Nishi has officiated football for 30 years working numerous high school post season games and five state high school championship finals games. He also umpires Junior College and NCAA Division III baseball. Sam has been a middle school football coach for 20 years, head high school baseball coach for 10 years and a JV high school baseball coach for 5 years.

Sam currently resides in Moxee, Washington with his wife Juanita. They have 7 children: Alexander (32), Marlayna (27), Precious (26), Evan (26), Cole (24), Bianca (24) and Graysen (15).