Several schools in Southwestern Minnesota have certainly demonstrated their strength in the sport of Wrestling over the years, but no high school program has had more success than what is now Jackson County Central High School. The leader and coach that brought this great success to this area of the state was Randy Baker. The schools that finally made up what is now Jackson County Central have changed through the years. Coach Randy Baker started his teaching and coaching career at Lakefield High School. That school then consolidated with Heron Lake and Okebena, making Heron Lake-Okebena Lakefield, referred to as HLOL. Those towns eventually consolidated with Jackson and were briefly called Jackson County Central/Southwest Star Concept. That name eventually changed to Jackson County Central High School. Whatever the school's name, Coach Randy Baker's teams were highly successful! Coach Baker's credentials rank among the very best ever in Minnesota High School Wrestling History. In 34 years, from 1984 to 2018 Baker's Jackson County Central's teams racked up 510 dual meet victories, 39 individual state championships (ranks second All-Time in Minnesota), 93 State Place Winners (ranks third All-Time in Minnesota) and seven State Team Titles, with 14 teams qualifying for State. Randy's HLOL team, the "Silver Bullets," placed 3rd in State in 1993. Baker also had the opportunity to coach some of the Midwest's best high school wrestlers as a USA Developmental Coach. Randy was very active in the MN/USA wrestling program, starting in the 1980's. He coached Schoolboy, Cadets and Juniors to the Wrestling USA National Tournaments. Minnesota Chapter-National Wrestling Hall of Fame President, Spencer Yohe, says, I always thought Randy was the best technical coach in state history!" Honors Baker received for his coaching efforts were the 1993 Minnesota (Class AA) "Coach of the Year," 1997 Wrestling USA Magazine's "Wrestling Man of the Year, " and 2001 USA Development "Coach of the Year." Along with MN/USA "Coach of the Year" and selected 13 times as Section "Coach of the Year." Randy also served as a Section Coaches Representative for over 20 years. Randy obviously has been a focused coach to accomplish so much. 1996 Olympic Silver Medalist and Gopher All-American wrestler who now runs the Pinnacle Wrestling School, Brandon Paulson, said, "My wife (who had Baker as a teacher) said he was the most intense person she knows. I think that is saying something." Baker wrestled for Jackson County Central from 1970 to 1973 and was a two-time State Qualifier. He continued his academic and mat career at Worthington Community College (now Minnesota West Community College) where he placed 5th in 1975. He then traveled West on Interstate 90 to Sioux Falls, South Dakota where he wrestled at Augustana College. At Augustana, Baker was a 2-time NCAA II National Qualifier and served as Team Captain of the 1977 NCAA- II National Runner-Up Vikings team. He then stayed on for two years as a grad assistant. Randy's college coach Paul Kendle says, "Bake wrestled for me at Augustana College and was one of the greatest wrestlers that I had in my 18 years there. Everything said about his commitment, honesty, intensity and caring is absolutely true. As a grad assistant the wrestlers were prepared after wrestling with Bake!" Baker graduated from college with a bachelor's degree, majoring in Physical Education in 1977. He acquired his first teaching and coaching job two years later in 1984 at Lakefield High School, where he was hired as a part-time teacher and wrestling coach. The school consolidated with some other small towns nearby through the years, but basically Baker has lived and coached in his hometown throughout his career. "The Globe" Sports editor Doug Walter, out of Worthington, Minnesota says this about Randy Baker as a coach in a previous article: "If Randy Baker seems like more than just a wrestling coach, it's because he's also a father figure to many of the athletes who have gone through the high school system. He's brutally honest, he's tough. He knows exactly what it takes for a young man to succeed, and he doesn't mince words." With the above said, it is more evidence of that intensity Brandon Paulson's wife mentioned as a student in Baker's classroom. That same intensity carried over to his coaching. That same intensity, but also caring nature and respect from his wrestlers led to the school's first State Title in 1999 and continued with back-to-back State titles with another in 2000. Jackson County central then won a State Team title in 2008, and another four in a row from 2010 to 2013. His teams also during that time span never went two consecutive seasons without producing at least one Individual State Champion. Baker also officiated high school and college matches from 1977 to 1990. Randy is a member of Worthington Community College Athletic Hall of Fame, Jackson County High school Athletic Hall of Fame, and now enters Minnesota Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.