Paul Vaith graduated from Blooming Prairie High School in 1976, participating in football, wrestling, and track. In the sport of wrestling, Paul was a four-year letter winner, a four-year All-Conference selection, a two-year captain, and a State participant, finishing his high school wrestling career with an overall record of 84-14-1. Vaith attended the College of St. Thomas, where he compiled a 28-7 record before a series of knee injuries ended his college wrestling career.

Paul graduated from St. Thomas in 1980 with a degree in Business Management while serving as an assistant wrestling coach for Craig Folven and the Tommies during his final two years. Paul spent one year as an assistant wrestling coach at Bloomington Lincoln before returning to St. Thomas for the next four years. During that time, Vaith completed his Master’s Degree in Education and went on to earn an Education Administration Degree from Mankato State.

Paul was hired to teach Business Education at Hastings High School in 1986 and served as an assistant wrestling coach for four years before taking over the head coaching duties in 1990. From 1991 to 2009, Hastings High School won twelve conference titles and eight section championships. Paul’s Raider teams have reached the State Finals four times, winning State Championships in 1996 and 2023. Vaith has had the pleasure of coaching 290 State Qualifiers, 111 State Place-winners, 37 State Finalists, and 14 State Wrestling Champions. Hastings Wrestlers were crowned Academic State Champions in 2001 and 2016. Paul’s overall dual meet record is 412-99-1. Vaith was the MWCA Class AAA Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1996 and 2007 and was inducted into the MWCA Bartelma Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016. Paul is also a member of the Blooming Prairie High School Hall of Fame and “The Clash” Hall of Fame, as well as the Hastings Wall of Fame. Vaith was named District 200 Employee of the Year in 1996.

From 2010 to 2012, Paul worked as an assistant wrestling coach at Hastings Middle School and, in 2013, returned to Hastings High School as an assistant wrestling coach and has continued to serve in that capacity for both boys’ and girls’ wrestling teams. Vaith has been recognized as Section Assistant Coach of the Year in both 1AAA and 3AAA and was named the MWCA Assistant Wrestling Coach of the Year in 2023. Paul has just completed his 48th year coaching the sport of wrestling and his 39th at Hastings.

Tim Haneberg, head wrestling coach at Hastings, offers this testimonial:

“Paul Vaith is the ultimate example of someone who has dedicated his life to serving others, continually striving to make a positive impact on every person he comes in contact with. Paul lives by two principles that he models on a daily basis – Bring a positive mental attitude and a strong work ethic to every task you face, and you will be successful in this game we call life. Paul Vaith is a constant rock of support for our coaching staff and our athletes every single day”.