Gene Cerino "The Father of the Cultural Exchange Program" Castle Rock High School Auburn High School Gene Cerino is known as "The Father of the Cultural Exchange" program in Washington State. Gene coached wrestling for 24 years at two high schools prior to retiring in 1979. Gene was a tremendous coach on the mat; he coached five state champions and seventeen state place finishers. Coach Cerino's contributions went well beyond his own program. He was the first to host freestyle tournaments and had the vision necessary to help establish the wrestling Cultural Exchange Program in 1970. Cerino was also a leader on the national level where he served on the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee for three years, 1968-1971 and three years on the National Federation of High School's National Wrestling Rules Committee from 1972-1975. Gene was inducted into the Washington State High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1984.