Lifetime Service Jim Cartwright attended East Leyden High School (now Leyden) where he wrestled under the guidance of the high school coaching legend and National Hall of Fame member Charles Farina. A four-time All-Conference selection Jim also served as member of the Eagles' IHSA State Runner-up team in 1968 (Leyden finished one point behind Dekalb). Upon graduation from East Leyden in 1969 Jim moved on to Triton Junior College where he successfully continued his wrestling career under Hall of Fame coach Art Kraft. Jim was a member of the Trojan squad that placed third in the NJCAA Tournament in 1971. Following his stay at Triton Jim enrolled at Illinois State University from where he would acquire his degree along with his teaching credentials. Jim continued to wrestle while attending ISU and, once again, had the great fortune of wrestling under the leadership of still another Hall of Fame coach - Dr. Robert Koehler. Jim graduated from ISU in 1973 and took a teaching position at James B. Conant High School in Hoffman Estates, Illinois; Conant High School became Jim's "home" for the next 34 years. The 1974-75 season marked the beginning of the "Cartwright Era" as Jim assumed the Head Coach position in the wrestling program. Jim inherited a good program and simply turned it into a great program. For the next twenty-five years Jim led the Conant Cougars on a phenomenal run. During his tenure as Head Coach the Cougars won 425 dual meets, 21 Mid-Suburban League South Titles, 17 overall Mid-Suburban League Championships (with an overall league record of 164-4-1!). At the state level Jim's teams also excelled. Cougar squads won 15 IHSA Regional and five IHSA Sectional Championships. In 1983 (the last year of team tournament scoring) Conant finished second to Marist in the IHSA State Finals. Under the Dual Meet Tournament format, Cartwright's teams qualified for the IHSA Finals four times, finishing second in 1996 and 2000. Cartwright-led squads were ranked in the top ten in Illinois fourteen times and nationally twice. Eighty-two individuals coached by Jim became State Qualifiers; thirty-two became State Place-winners with eight of those being Champions. Over the years nine of Jim's wrestlers were crowned High School All-Americans. However, like others of his stature, Jim's service to wrestling extends beyond his personal participation as an athlete or as a coach. Jim has volunteered many years of service to the sport of wrestling. He has served as an officer in the IWCOA (President for one year and Treasurer for four years) and currently serves as a long-time member of the IWCOA Hall of Fame Selection Committee. Seventeen times Jim has served as a coach of the Illinois Junior Freestyle Team (ten times as its Head Coach). Additionally, Jim has served as Head Freestyle Coach on competitive international trips to China, Russia and Italy. He was the host as well as the Head Coach when Team Illinois competed against the visiting Japanese Junior National Team. When Team Canada came to Illinois to compete with Team Illinois, Jim Cartwright came forward to served as Team Illinois' Head Coach. Jim's service to the sport has not been limited solely to the coaching realm. His list of "volunteerism" includes serving as an Ambassador to the visiting Soviet National Team in 1989; twice serving as the Floor Manager of the Midlands Wrestling Tournament; hosting a plethora of developmental camps and clinics for both Greco-Roman and Freestyle wrestling over the past 32 years; serving on the Board of Directors for the National Coaches Association; and serving as a wrestling venue volunteer at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Over the years his peers have recognized Jim for his many contributions and accomplishments. Nominated six times as the IWCOA Coach-of-the-Year, Jim has been so-honored twice. In 1993 Jim was inducted into the IWCOA Hall of Fame; selected in 2003 as a Grand Marshall for the IHSA Individual State Finals; and in 2005 the IWCOA bestowed upon Jim its coveted Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1994 Jim was selected as USA Wrestling Northern Plains Developmental Coach-of-the-Year. Three times Jim was a National Coach-of-the-Year nominee and a finalist for this award in 1999. Jim, not surprisingly, currently serves as a volunteer wrestling coach - along with other former Leyden wrestling teammates - at Niles Notre Dame High School.