Lifetime Service to Wrestling

Kirk Layer was born in Milan, Illinois, the youngest son of Joseph and Eleanor Layer, who moved their family of three children in 1959 to a farm near Twin Bluffs in Richland County Wisconsin. Kirk was first introduced to the sport of wrestling in 7th grade physical education class taught by Hall of Fame Coach Jim Allbaugh, the former Ithaca and Shawano High School Wrestling Coach. During Kirk’s Richland Center wrestling career, several Richland Center Wrestling Hall of Fame coaches taught the skills and love of sport to him. Those coaches included Dwight Allbaugh and Gary Hardy in junior high and in High School from Hall of Fame Coaches Norris Hattlestad and Gordy Marchionda. Kirk was a two-year letter winner in wrestling and football, placing twice in the SWAL Conference plus a Sectional qualifier in wrestling and was a first team All-Conference football player and Most Valuable Football player on the 1973 Richland Center football team.

After graduation in 1974, Kirk attended the University of Minnesota as a Food Science major. While attending college, Kirk began a career in officiating wrestling and was mentored by Don Meyer, Head Official of the Minnesota State High School League. Kirk officiated three years in Minnesota, working several district wrestling tournaments and was a table worker at the Minnesota State Wrestling tournament twice. In 1980 the Layer family returned to Richland Center to the family farm with Kirk’s parents. Kirk’s officiating career might have ended if not for being requested to officiate the Boscobel Invitational by a former high school teammate.

In 1987 Kirk left the family farm to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science from the University of Wisconsin Madison. Kirk took a position with Foremost Farms USA (Wisconsin Dairies Coop predecessor) and retired in 2021 from the Baraboo headquarters location as a Bulk Material Sourcing Manager. The Foremost career has taken his family to several other wrestling communities throughout the state of Wisconsin. The community of Edgar allowed Kirk to work with State Wrestling tournament official Mark Lacke and others. The Layer family moved next to Barron, where their next-door neighbor was George Martin Hall of Fame Coach Jim Richie. After that, the family moved back to Lancaster in SW Wisconsin, where their son Joshua wrestled for Hall of Fame member Chuck Rasmussen.

Kirk Layer is probably best remembered as one of the most experienced and respected wrestling officials in the State of Wisconsin after completing his 39 year-plus career in December 2016. His wrestling officiating accolades include:

• Many Division I college matches (mostly Big Ten, highlight match Wisconsin Badgers versus Iowa Hawkeyes)

• Northern Open College Tournament – 15 years

• Division III National College Qualifying Tournament – 3 years

• Many Division III College matches and Conference Tournaments

• WIAA and Minnesota State Wrestling Official – 39 plus years

• WIAA State Tournament Official – 10 years (both Individual and Team)

• 30 plus years working WIAA Sectional and Regional Tournaments

• 2008 Inductee into the Richland Center Wrestling Hall of Fame

• Longest tenured official (34 years) at Bi-State Tournament in La Crosse with 25 plus years as Co-Head Official at retirement.

Kirk became a WIAA Football Official in the early 1990’s at the request of two fellow wrestling officials in Barron. Kirk officiated football for 25 years, working all levels of high school football including many WIAA Football Playoff games and two WIAA Football Sectional Final games. Kirk has also worked as a wrestling broadcaster for WRCO radio on and off throughout his officiating career and even after retirement. Kirk has worked with Ken Manning with Western Wisconsin Video Productions (WWVP) broadcasting wrestling tournaments in SW Wisconsin. Together they have broadcast many Clash (SWC/SWAL) Conference meets, WIAA Regionals and Sectionals, the Bi-State, and many other Wrestling Invitationals in the area.

Throughout all this time and change of locations, Kirk officiated wrestling, coached youth programs or assisted with the wrestling programs at Richland Center, Ithaca, Edgar, Barron and Lancaster. Kirk has worked with many Hall of Fame Coaches, Administrators, Wrestlers, and Officials throughout his career. During this time, Kirk assisted in the beginning of several Wrestling Official Associations in Southwest Wisconsin. Along with his leadership within these Associations and the cooperation with other Official Associations like the Fox River Valley and Central Wisconsin Association, the consistency and team work ethic among Wrestling Officials has vastly improved throughout the State of Wisconsin. One of Kirk’s best accomplishments and contributions has been the many mentoring and tutoring of countless young Wrestling Officials throughout the State of Wisconsin. He would truly like to express his appreciation and respect for the encouragement, support and opportunity to work with people like Gary Gutknecht, Larry Anderson, Dave Rudrud, Tim Terrill, Don Herrmann, Ted Harris, Arvo Britten, John Berndt, Mike Blasczyk, Larry Gorres, John Shefchik, Brad Siebers, Lynn Isenee, Scott Brookman, Dan Engelke, Steve Williamson, Matt Boyer, Mike Nickelatti, Tony Antczak, Steve Schutte, Gail and Matt Pronschinske, Eric Reukauf, Tony Wilson and many others too numerous to mention. The wrestling community will always hold a special place within his family and life.

Kirk currently lives in Richland Center with his wife Jill of 50 years of marriage, they have celebrated and enjoyed living together with family and friends. Kirk credits family for most of his success and joy in life, without the support of daughter Michelle and Ryan Keller and son Joshua and Camie Layer, this all would not mean the same. Proud Grandparents of Hailey, Wesley, Paige, Rees, Jordan and Jalyn, their children have truly given them joy and happiness in their lives and now with their grandkids.

Kirk would like to thank the selection committee (especially the late Ken Manning) for this honor and opportunity to become a member of a group of Individuals who define the core and heart of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame - Wisconsin Chapter and Wrestling in the State of Wisconsin.