Stephen Cannon has dedicated more than four decades of his life to the sport of wrestling. He started early on. As the ninth of 13 children, he had to wrestle to survive. 

In 1966, his oldest brother Michael was introduced to wrestling at Robert E. Peary High School in Rockville. Michael would bring home a wrestling mat and teach techniques to his younger brothers. Dr. David Lewis, a Washington Metropolitan Wrestling Official and one of the founding youth league members, noticed Steve at one of Michael's matches and convinced their father that wrestling was the right sport for him. Over the years he had great coaches and mentors. Steve remembers Larry Hill bringing him to youth competitions in Pennsylvania, and coaches Ed Burlas, Dwayne Black and Paul Hassler taking him to compete in Allentown, Wilkes-Barre and Pittsburgh. 

Steve's formal wrestling career was only six seasons, three in the CAWL and three at Robert E. Peary High School. Over those six seasons, he won the junior state championship in 1973, two Montgomery County titles in 1975 and 1976, and placed third at the Maryland state tournament in 1975. He compiled a high school record of 46-8. 

After high school, Steve graduated from the University of Maryland, and married his high school sweetheart, Laurie Lanham, a Paint Branch cheerleader. They started a family, and he began his career in home building. Steve coached at the Wheaton Boys and Girls Club from 1976 to1980 and was the commissioner of Wheaton intramural wrestling from 1986 to 1990. 

In 1977, Jim Rota, former WMWOA commissioner and the head coach at George Washington University, sponsored a spring tournament and needed wrestling officials. That is when Steve began a 45-year career officiating that continues today. When Jim retired, Steve took over as commissioner of the WMWOA, serving in that role for more than 20 years.

Steve’s wife Laurie always loved the sport of wrestling and encouraged Steve to stay involved. They have four children: Lindsay, Scott, Stacie and Carly, all of whom were involved in high school wrestling as participants or cheerleaders. They have eight grandchildren and the boys have wrestled in the Warhawk and Outlaw wrestling programs