Sam Coursen wrestled for Forty Fort High School in Forty Fort Pennsylvania where he won four PIAA District II titles and appeared in the PIAA finals all four years.

He was the only wrestler in Wyoming Valley history to win every dual meet in four years of wrestling.

He attended Springfield College and won the New England Championships four times.

In 1952, he qualified for the Olympic team that competed in Helsinki, Finland.

Sam was instrumental in developing wrestling in South Jersey as he coached wrestling in the Collingswood community for some 23 years.

At Collingswood High School, his teams compiled a record of 126-47-7, going undefeated four years, winning eight conference titles and six district team titles.

Sam exemplifies leadership in so many ways as can be seen through his active service for over a decade on the coaches executive committee, as co-founder and first chairman of Region 7 and 8 Coaches and Officials Association, and as chairman of the South Jersey Hall of Fame.

He also served on the Executive Committee of the New Jersey Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.