Lifetime Service Robert Emmons' grew up in an era which preceded any Illinois High School State Championship series. Organizations geared to assist in the development of young and talented pre-middle and pre-high school wrestlers simply did not exist. Nonetheless, Bob's tenacious nature drove him to a exceptional level of success. While wrestling for the University of Illinois, Bob became the Big Ten's very first three-time Conference Champion. Bob Emmons crowned a very auspicious collegiate career by placing second at 126 lbs. in the 1933 National Collegiate Athletic Association Championships. Following his collegiate days, Bob entered the teaching and coaching ranks in the Lawrenceville school system. He moved on to Christman, then to Bridgeport and finally back to Lawrenceville where he assumed the position of Varsity Coach in 1937. After many successful years at Lawrenceville, Bob moved on to become the Varsity Coach at Arlington Heights High School. During his coaching tenure at Lawrenceville he produced Illinois' first three-time State Champion "” Robert "Bob" Strange. Bob Strange went on to become a charter member of the IWCOA's Hall of Fame in 1972; later he served as a Grand Marshal for the 1979 State Finals. Bob Emmons throughout his coaching career produced a total of twenty-five state placewinners "” nine of which were State Champions. In only his third year at Lawrenceville Bob's squad finished second place in the state "” one point behind Louis Slimmer's Proviso Pirates. In that tournament, Lawrenceville crowned two State Champions; Proviso had none. In Bob's fourth year his team again finished second "” two points behind those same Pirates. In this tournament, Lawrenceville had three State Champions while Proviso had but one. In the next two seasons, 1941 and 1942, the Emmons' teams would finish fourth and third respectively. Bob Emmons, like many of his coaching comrades, was also a wrestling official. Well known for his abilities as an official, Bob found himself working a number of IHSA Districts (now retitled "Regionals") as well as Sectionals. Five times Bob would be assigned to work the State Final Championships. For his work as an outstanding pioneer in Illinois wrestling, Bob Emmons was inducted into the IWCOA's Hall of Fame in 1973 "” only the second year of its existence. In 1987 Bob was selected for the honor of Grand Marshal for the IHSA State Finals. A significant number of individuals who were influenced by Bob over the years have found success in their own right "” some, no doubt, are seated in the audience today.