One of the truly likeable, enthusiastic and successful coaches in Minnesota high school wrestling history is former NHREG Wrestling Coach Paul Cyr. Cyr is a native of Oklee, Minnesota where he attended Oklee High School, graduating in 1972. He then attended the University of Minnesota-Morris where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Education in 1978. He continued his education (on and off) with stops at Moorhead State, St. John's University, Bemidji State (Master's Degree in Math Education) and concluding at Mankato State with a 6th year certifi cate (Principal's License). Paul began his coaching career in 1977 at Fertile-Beltrami, helping to lay the foundation for a team that would win four consecutive Region 8 titles. After taking some time away from teaching and attending St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota Paul helped Coach John Elton coaching the Johnnies in 1982-83. From there he took a job in New Richland, Minnesota. The school at that time was a combination of the two towns of New Richland and Hartland. Soon the school consolidated with the nearby towns of Ellendale and Geneva, becoming New Richland-HartlandEllendale-Geneva (NRHEG) High School. At NRHEG Paul fi rst taught Math and after receiving his Principal's License he became the Middle School Principal, transitioning later to the High School Principal. He worked at NRHEG for 27 years. Cyr's wrestling teams, which he still coached while serving as Principal, were always extremely competitive. Paul always challenged his teams with a tough schedule too. His wrestlers displayed great conditioning and were sound on their feet. His career high school coaching record of 445-304-12 with 11 teams capturing Gopher Conference team titles and 4 teams qualifying for State, with his 1999 team capturing a State Runner up finish, exemplifies that success too. And those teams produced some outstanding wrestlers. Six of his wrestlers won seven State Titles among them with three individuals going on to capture National Titles in College. Kory Mosher (Fertile-Beltrami High School) won an NCAA II title at the University of North Dakota. Joe Moon (NRHEG High School) won two NCAA III National Championships at Augsburg College as a 3-time All-American and Matt Pettsinger (NRHEG High School) became an NCAA II National Champion at Mankato State University in 2001, making him a 4-time All-American). Paul also did officiating throughout his coaching career and continues doing so today, for well over 40 years behind the whistle! Paul says he learned a lot from his college wrestling coach Doug Dufty at U of M-Morris. Coach Dufty would take Paul to officiate with him places to help officiate. Paul says, "He got me started as an official, traveling with him to places like Browns Valley, Chokio, etc., to officiate matches." Cyr has always lent a helping hand with any wrestling events in the area. He volunteered as an official for several years at the large "Owatonna Open" held each year at the Four Seasons Arena in Owatonna. Former Owatonna High school Coach Scot Davis says, "Paul was always a great help and one of the fi nest people you will ever meet. Our sport of wrestling had a great 'role model' in Coach Paul Cyr." Paul's successful coaching over the years earned him numerous awards and recognition. He was voted Section "Coach of the year" by his coaching peers five times (1999, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2013). Paul also served as President of the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association (MWCA) in 2009. To know Paul Cyr is to know he is an outstanding handler of guns. He is an avid hunter and now enjoys more time to hunt ducks and geese. He has also been a longtime trapshooter. Since 1975 he has registered over 280, 000 targets. He has also traveled across the Midwest, to the states of Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and the Grand American Tournament in Sparta, Illinois. Paul started shooting at a very young age, first at the trap club in Oklee, then traveling with his dad to Thief River Falls to compete in 'League Shooting' as a 12 year old. He shot his first registered targets at the Fergus Falls Gun Club in 1975. He also attended the "Grand American" for the first time in 1978, and has attended 35 Grand Americans since that time. Again, his total targets registered to date is over 280,000 ATA targets, a phenomenal amount! He has also won several State Shoot Trophies over the years and has tied for the 'Singles' and 'Doubles' championships. He has also served on the MTA Board of Directors for 11 years as the 'Southern Zone Director,' and one year as Vice President. He continues to volunteer at the State Shoot each year. While living in New Richland he served on the Owatonna Gun Club Board of Directors (2006 to 2014) and was President for fi ve years. He also served on the Minnesota Trap shooting Association Board (1998 to 2012). Besides substitute teaching these days, Paul volunteers as an assistant coach at Red Lake County Central High School in Oklee, Minnesota, and works score tables and serves as a Public Address Announcer at their home meets. A true contributor to the sport of wrestling and one of Minnesota's fi nest coaches, Paul Cyr is an outstanding inductee to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame-Minnesota Chapter. NWHOF-Minnesota Chapter President Spencer Yohe says, "Paul certainly has been an outstanding and successful coach, and served Minnesota wrestling well as an MWCA President and volunteering his time as a table worker, announcer and official."