The prime time and green grass of David Olah’s coaching career was the 20 years from 1973 to 1993 when he built an imposing program at his alma mater, Deep Creek High School in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Part of the fierce Eastern Region competition that dominated Virginia wrestling for decades, his Hornets compiled a 216-75-3 dual record while winning eight Southeastern District championships, two Eastern Region titles and the 1983 Virginia AAA state team championship in 1983.

Among his most notable wrestlers are a trio of brothers, John, Joe and William Stukes. A Virginia state champion in 1984, Joe was a three-time NCAA Division II All-American at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke while William, who despite his main interest being football won a state wrestling title in 1986. John was a college regional champion and two-time NCAA Division II national qualifier for Longwood College. John followed his mentor into coaching and was twice named Coach of the Year while leading Norfolk Catholic High School.

After graduating from Deep Creek High School in 1962, Olah attended across town at Old Dominion University where he earned the first of three education-related degrees, his bachelor's degree in 1967. He later earned his master's degree in 1980 and his Ph. D. in 1994. then matriculated across town at Old Dominion, receiving the first of three education-related degrees in 1967. (The Master’s and Ph. D. came in 1980 and 1994.)

His work history is a restless one that includes stints as a physical education and driver's education teacher at Indian River High School and Branch River High School in Virginia and Deep Creek High School in Mississippi before 20 years as a guidance counselor from 1979-99.

Olah then felt pulled in a different direction and became an administrator, serving at various Christian school, primarily in North Carolina. Currently he is president of Barber-Scotia College in Charlotte, N.C.

His history with Virginia wrestling is not forgotten. He was the named the Virginia High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 1985 and 1994.

Olah soft-pedals his remarkable achievements in wrestling, sharing credit with his wife, Sandra, with whom he has raised two children, and brother John, a two-time state champion.

“I don’t know nearly as much wrestling as my brother, and my wife can run my practices as well as I can.”