Bob Bassuener - Lifetime Service to Wrestling

As the youngest of five children growing up in central Wisconsin, Bob Bassuener was blessed with

multiple role models within his own family including his parents Paul and Margarette and his siblings

Darrel, Alan, Paula, and Randy. Their unwavering love and support allowed him to thrive and deeply

appreciate the blessings in his life. He attended Auburndale High School and excelled in many of the

same sports and activities his brothers had before him. In 1971, he was the quarterback for Wisconsin’s

top ranked football team and won a state baseball championship. He qualified for the WIAA state track

and field meet, was a member of the National Honor Society, and was a drum major in the marching

band. It was wrestling though that became his primary focus and his greatest athletic success. In the

one-class wrestling system he was a two-time state qualifier and finished as runner-up at the WIAA state

tournament in 1971.

After graduating from Auburndale, he went on to wrestle for the University of Wisconsin – Stevens

Point. He competed for the Pointers for two seasons, placing at the Wisconsin State University

Conference tournament and qualifying for the 1973 NAIA national tournament. He then transferred to

the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse where he would continue his collegiate wrestling career under

coach Al Freeman. Wrestling for La Crosse, he would again place at the ’74 and ’75 WSUC meets and

qualify for both NAIA national tournaments. In 1975 he won the NAIA national championship at 142lbs,

becoming the second individual champion in UW-L program history. He was honored as the WSUC

Medal of Honor winner, and the UW-La Crosse Scholar Athlete Award. He would go on to compete with

the NAIA international exchange team in Japan and Korea, and qualified to compete at the finals of the

1976 US Olympic trials.

Following one season as a student assistant for UW-L, Bassuener accepted his first teaching and head

coaching positions at West DePere High School. In three years at the school, he would coach the

program’s first WIAA state tournament qualifier and place winner. Within those years he would also

marry his wife Paula (Steebs), and have the first of their four sons (Luke, Scott, Matthew, and Michael).

Bob moved “home” to central Wisconsin in 1980 to help his older brother expand the Bassuener

Construction company in Port Edwards. He continued coaching as an assistant at John Edwards High

School (Port Edwards), and then as head coach for Wisconsin Rapids Assumption from 1982-1985. As his

professional and family lives grew, he was able to coach his four sons as an assistant with the Port

Edwards youth wrestling program from 1984-1994 while also officiating various youth and high school

events. The John Edwards High School varsity wrestling program was dropped by the school district

during the mid-1980’s, but Bob worked as a parent and community advocate to help restore the varsity

program in 1996. Bob was called upon by athletic director Roland Kallstrom several times to step in as

an assistant or interim head coach to assure the program’s survival from 1996-1998. The two would

work together with administration from neighboring Nekoosa High School to establish a cooperative

program that would preserve the sport for the students at both school districts.

Bob stepped away from coaching after 1998 and focused his passion for wrestling into officiating. His

officiating career spanned 1971 to 2014 with involvement at multiple levels and covering additional

sports including football, soccer, and softball. His passion as an educator and mentor truly came forward

in his last 15 years of officiating, with particular attention to wrestling and soccer. He cherished the

camaraderie within the fellowship of sports officials. Many of his favorite stories to tell involve teaching

young officials how to not only enforce the laws of the game, but also how to manage the criticism and

abuse that they unfortunately have to experience. Even as a sports fan, he continues to play the role of

the referee advocate. He is heard clearly at any number of sporting events passionately cheering for

officials, especially when he recognizes others in attendance have taken on a “less encouraging” tone.

Bob is hopeful that the community and family around wrestling can be a source of joy and blessing for

others as is it has been for him throughout his life.