A 1953 graduate of Otto Township High School in Duke Center, PA, Welch earned his Bacjelor's Degree from Lock Haven University in 1957 in health, physical education and english. He later did graduate work at Glassboro State College (Master's Degree in Reading Education and Public School Administration) and Trenton State College (Driver's Ed and Supervisory Certification). Welch was well-known throughout southern New Jersey for starting the wrestling programs at Williamstown and Moorestown high schools. After starting the program on a sub-varsity status at Williamstown, Welch's teams compiled a 32-21-2 record in five varsity seasons, including an 11-0-1 campaign in 1965, and a pair of Olympic Conference championships. The move to Moorestown meant starting another program from scratch and Welch's teams were soon some of the most highly respected in Burlington County. The Quakers were 228-112-3 in 22 years with Welch at the helm, including an 18-0 season in 1975, two district championships and three Burlington County championships. Through 2010 Welch ranked 13th on the all-time win list in southern New Jersey history. When Welch retired as an active wrestling coach, his teams had compiled an overall 260-135-5 record in his 27 years as a head coach. Despite the growing pains of starting two programs from scratch, Welch was still able to turn out 59 individual district champions, 11 regional champions, and five state place winners. The only seasons when his team failed to achieve a winning record were his first season at Moorestown (3-11) and two 4-7 campaigns at Williamstown going against strong established programs. Administratively, Welch served as Chairman of the English Department at Williamstown, Chairman of the Physical Education Department at Moorestown, and served as a vice principal at both Moorestown and Southern Regional high schools. Welch served as secretary of the South Jersey Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association (SJWCOA) for 11 years. Among his honors were Burlington County Coach of the Year in 1974 and 1975 and Region 8 Coach of the Year in 1975. He also received recognition for his contributions to wrestling by Glassboro State College in 1976 by the New Jersey Coaches Association in 1979 and the SJWCOA in 1981. He was inducted into the South Jersey Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Williamstown High School Hall of Fame in 1988 and received an Outstanding Achievement Award from Moorestown High School in 1999. Welch, who passed away on October 22, 2007, is survived by fiance Carol Olson, former wife Barbara Welch and four children- son Marty and his wife Judi, daughter Shari and husband Shawn, daughter Sandi and husband Dominic, and son Chris and wife Elizabeth. He also is survived by 13 grandchildren and one great grandchild.