Lon Gerrish began wrestling in 1972 at Glenbrook North High School, where he compiled 107 career victories highlighted by All-American honors and a silver medal at the Freestyle Junior Nationals. He continued competing at Northern Illinois University, where he was a four-year starter and captain his senior year, piling up 60 wins for the Huskies. Lon started his coaching career in 1982, where he developed Sandwich High School into one of the state's elite Class A programs before retiring from coaching in 2002. His Indians won 17 conference titles and 14 regional tournaments and qualified for the dual team state tournament seven times, finishing third twice, second once and winning the 1991, 1997, 1999 and 2001 state titles. Lon's teams posted a 459-62-1 dual meet record with 93 state individual qualifiers, 47 state placewinners, 15 state champions and five high school All-Americans. Nominated for Coach of the Year 12 times, he won the award in 1991 and 1996. A registered IHSA wrestling official for over 25 years, Lon serves as one of the state's certified body fat testers. An IHSA bench official for the state finals since retiring from coaching in 2002, he has also assisted with supervision of the table personnel at the Dual Team State Tournament for the past 15 years. The IWCOA named Lon the 1994 Man of the Year and 2012 Administrator of the Year. Additionally, Lon was recognized by the IWCOA with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. A member of the IWCOA Hall of Fame, he also served as a Grand Marshal at the IHSA state finals in 2007.