For over 55 years, Bob Koffler dedicated himself to the sport of wrestling, retiring only recently at age 80 after decades as a volunteer coach.

His journey began at Cheltenham High School, where he dominated the mat with an undefeated dual meet record in four of his five seasons, finishing with an impressive 49-5-2 overall record. A 1956 district champion and regional runner-up, he earned Cheltenham’s Outstanding Team Player award, foreshadowing a lifetime of leadership.

Recruited to Syracuse University on an art scholarship, Koffler also competed as a wrestler across weight classes from 147 to 171 pounds. He reached the Olympic Trials but saw his athletic career cut short by a broken arm and a severe knee injury.

Undeterred, he earned his degree from Syracuse in 1959, followed by postgraduate studies at Boston University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Koffler’s coaching career began in the 1960s at Germantown Academy, later returning to Cheltenham High School as an assistant coach. For decades, he served as an unpaid mentor under eight head coaches, helping shape multiple state qualifiers, two state runners-up, and contributing to Suburban One League championship teams.

Beyond Cheltenham, he supported Philadelphia’s Beat the Streets program and authored a wrestling techniques book, with excerpts featured in Amateur Wrestling News.

His dedication earned him a 1998 lifetime achievement award from Cheltenham’s wrestling community.

A true Renaissance man, Koffler balanced coaching with a distinguished academic and artistic career. As a professor at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, as well as Moore College of Art, he taught art history, graphic design, and fine arts, while serving as both academic dean and guest lecturer.

Simultaneously, he maintained a prolific art career, exhibiting in countless shows and earning accolades such as the Ford Foundation Medical Sculpture Award and the Tau Sigma Delta Art and Architecture Honor. His work can be viewed at robertstevenkoffler.com

He remains a board member at the Cheltenham Center for the Arts and Massachusetts’ Beckert Art Center.

Bob and his wife, Anny, reside in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania where they raised their children, Nathaniel and Miriam, alongside nephews Alexander and Jonas.

From the mat to the classroom to the gallery, Bob Koffler’s life embodies perseverance, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to enriching the lives of others.