James Dailey

James A Dailey, Jr., middle child of three (3) to James Sr. and Diane Dailey. He was born May 30th,1961 in Salem, Ohio, and grew up in Columbiana, Ohio, which is the home of Harvey S. Firestone of Firestone Tire fame. He attended Columbiana High School where he was a two-year letterman in Football, and a three-year letterman in Wrestling and Baseball. He continued wrestling for a very short time at Youngstown State University, home of the “Penguins”, and graduated with a BS in Elementary Education in 1984.

 After graduation, he taught Math at various schools in Ohio and Florida to the present time. He began his coaching career at his alma mater, Columbiana in 1980, while attending college. He coached Junior High Football and Wrestling until 1985, when he was awarded the High School Head Wrestling position at his alma mater, which ended in 1987. In 1988 he headed south to the Sunshine State where he accepted a temporary teaching position and to coach Football and Wrestling at Fort Pierce Westwood HS. The following year 1989 he found himself back in Ohio teaching and coaching Football and the Head Wrestling at Salem City Schools.  From there Jim found himself at Austintown Fitch HS as an assistant wrestling coach for longtime friend and fellow NWHOF/Ohio chapter, Brett Powell, from 1992-1994. Then it was back to Florida to teach and become the Head Wrestling coach at Port St Lucie HS from 1995-2013. After a short break from coaching, he found himself at South Fork HS as the Head Wrestling coach from 2019-2021. He coached several club programs in Ohio and Florida that involved AAU and USA. Jim also traveled to the Dominican Republic in the early 2000’s as part of International Sports Services. He  was the Coordinator of Wrestling for International Sports Services, which brought wrestlers from the United States to participate against wrestlers from the Dominican Republic, and it was here that he met and coached with fellow NWHOF/Georgia Chapter, Jose Helena.

Jim was always involved in wrestling since grade school, participating, coaching, and even officiating wrestling. He got his start officiating in Ohio in the Steel Valley Wrestling Officials Association from      1991 -1994 and continued in Florida until last year 2023 with the Treasure Coast Officials Association. 

Jim was fortunate enough to accumulate over 200 wins; coach: Four (4) State Champions (Ohio-1, Florida – 3),  (36) State Place winners, (68) State Qualifiers; (6) District titles ; He was Columbiana county coach of the year once 1987 (Ohio),  Three (3) times  All-Area coach of the year for the Treasure Coast ;  (4) Top Ten team finishes at State: (1) Ohio & (3) Florida. He presently teaches Math at For the Love of Learning private school and has been involved in education since 1984.       

Awards:

Year
2024
Award
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
Chapter/Region
Florida

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