Lifetime Service For some four decades now, the relatively small community of Dekalb, Illinois has been known for its tough, hard-nosed wrestling program "” a program built and nurtured by the likes of Hall of Fame coaches named Don Flavin and Wayne Miller. These coaches molded young men into some of the state's finest competitors. One of those young men, Joe Cliffe, is being honored here tonight. For both his junior and senior years Joe wrestled in the 95 lbs. weight division. In this two-season time span Joe posted a 64-9-1 record while winning two conference championships, two IHSA District (now Regional) titles and one IHSA Sectional title. In 1968, his junior season, Joe placed fourth in the IHSA State Tournament "” thus making a significant contribution to Dekalb's one-and-only IHSA State Wrestling Championship. Joe went on to become Dekalb's first multiple-state place-winner by earning another fourth place medal in the State Finals in his senior year. Joe's collegiate days were spent at Northern Illinois University. Although ranked as one of the nation's top 105.5 lbs. competitors, wrestling at the lowest collegiate weight class of 118 lbs. put Joe at a significant disadvantage. Joe excelled in the international styles of Greco-Roman and Freestyle. Wrestling in a weight class more suitable to his physical stature Joe went on to place five times in the USA National Freestyle Championships AND five times in the Greco-Roman National Championships; twice Joe was a Greco-Roman National Champion. Additionally, Joe place third in the 1972 Olympic Freestyle Trials; in 1973 he placed 6th in Moscow while competing for the University World Freestyle Team; and Joe was also a member of seven National Championship Freestyle and Greco-Roman teams when he was a member of the Mayor Daley Youth Foundation Wrestling Club. Joe began his coaching career at Georgetown High School in 1978. During his four-year tenure at Georgetown Joe qualified four individuals for the IHSA State Finals. In 1982 Joe moved to Plano High School where he would coach for the next fourteen seasons. During those fourteen seasons Joe sent forty-one qualifiers to the IHSA State Finals; twenty-four individuals would earn place medals, ten of which would be crowned IHSA State Champion. Joe moved to Prairie Central High School in Fairbury, Illinois at the beginning of the 1996 season where he currently coaches. Since his arrival at Prairie Central twenty-six Prairie Central wrestlers have qualified for the IHSA State Finals with seven of them earning medals. His Prairie Central teams have won three IHSA Regional Championships, qualified for the IHSA Dual Team Finals twice and in 2003 placed fourth in the IHSA Dual Team Finals. Overall, Joe's career dual meet win mark stands at 437 "” and counting. In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Joe has found time to support many off-the-mat wrestling endeavors. He is an active member of the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association, serving on the Executive Board in multiple roles ranging from Secretary to Treasurer to President and back to Treasurer, his current post. He also serves as the Chairman of the IWCOA Membership Committee as well as Chairman of the IWCOA Hall of Fame Selection Committee. He has been instrumental in developing and organizing the pictorial display of the State's Hall of Fame Members. Since 1987, he has coordinated the sale and distribution of the annual All-State Banquet tickets as well as serving as Team Leader and Committee Chairman for the Illinois-Indiana Classic Dual from 1994 through 2005. Joe has also served as the State Representative to the National Wrestling Coaches Association. As a "workaholic" in the wrestling community, his associates have over the years, recognized Joe for his numerous contributions. He was selected as the IWCOA Man-of-the-Year in 1991"” the same year that he was named as a "Who's Who of American Teachers." He has been named by the IWCOA as a "Friend of Wrestling" on four separate occasions; he has been nominated for the IWCOA Coach-of-the-Year nine times "” receiving that award in 2003. The WHOI-TV in Peoria named Joe as their choice for Central Illinois Class A Coach-of-the-Year in both 2003 and 2004. In 2000 Joe was selected as a Grand Marshal for the IHSA Individual State Finals. The IWCOA granted Joe its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. In 2006 Joe was named Region VI Wrestling Coach-of-the-Year by the National High School Coaches Association and was a finalist for the National Award. In 2006 the IWCOA presented Joe with a Special Recognition Award for his service to the sport. Finally, in 2007 "Strathmore's Who's Who," recognized Joe as an outstanding individual in his field.