Ron Brown was born and raised in Bedford, Pennsylvania. Bedford was a hotbed of high school wrestling during Ron’s youth and remains so today. He met his future wife Helen when they were students at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They have four children: Tobias, Emily, Zachary, and Hanna. Ron retired as a wrestling coach after the 1998-1999 season and remained as a teacher, guidance counselor, and golf coach at Boston College High School until his retirement in June of 2017. Ron and Helen have resided in Hallowell, Maine since 2020. 

 At Bedford High School, Ron learned about the sport of wrestling from the legendary head coach of the Bisons, Ed Clark. Although Ron’s career as a wrestler was short and undistinguished, his exposure to a high level program plus frequent wrestling drills and competitions in Coach Clark’s gym class made a big impression. While Ron was in junior high, Bedford crowned it’s first Pennsylvania State Champion in several decades. School was cancelled for a day the following week and the small town had a big parade as everyone celebrated. 

 Ron’s teaching and coaching career began at Whitman-Hanson Regional High School in the mid 1970’s. The wrestling team, that he founded, quickly grew from a small but dedicated group into a squad that annually had more than 40 members. Current W-H head coach Gary Rabinovitz was among those on the original squad, and his excellence as a wrestler and coach, as well as his dedication to the sport, remain to this day. Steve Wright became the school’s first MIAA State Champion when he capped his undefeated senior season in the early 80’s. Coach Brown also served as the Athletic Director at Whitman-Hanson in the early 80’s. 

 Ron moved on to teach at Boston College High School in 1983, but remained as coach at W-H before passing the torch to his then-assistant coach and current Hall of Famer Bob Gay. That Panthers squad went on to earn the South Shore League championship, producing multiple sectional and state place winners. In 1986, Ron founded the wrestling program at B.C. High. In the ensuing 13 years, team members produced 12 individual Division 1 South Sectional championships, 21 individual tournament titles, 6 MIAA Division 1 State finalists, 3 State champions, 1 All-State champ, and 1 New England finalist. The team swept to the Division 1 South Sectional championship in the 1992-1993 season and Ron was named the Boston Globe Division 1 Coach of the Year. Along the way the Eagles earned 5 Catholic Conference Championships. While coaching at Boston College High School, Ron served for a number of years as the Division 1 South Sectional chairman. 

 Ron would like to thank many people. He is most grateful to Helen, his wife of 49 years, and their four children. The unwavering support that they provided allowed him to devote countless hours to his wrestling teams. Coach Brown was also blessed to have an unbroken line of amazing assistant coaches. Peter Leverone, Paul Holmes, Bob Gay, Larry Newcomb, and Ray Berry each supported Ron in countless ways and taught him many things about coaching. It is gratifying that so many of the young wrestlers that he introduced to the sport continued their connection to wrestling as coaches, especially Larry Newcomb, Ray Berry, Gary Rabinovitz, Jeff Gibbons, Russell Lindsay, and Craig McCormack.