W.L. Hughes served 32 years as an educator and athletic coach for Cook High School in Adel, Georgia.

Credited as being the "Father of South Georgia Wrestling," he was the head wrestling coach at Cook High School from 1976 to 1992, establishing and growing a very successful wrestling program in the county - both in the high school and the recreation program.

Hughes led the Hornets to three Georgia High School Association state team championships while coaching four individual state champions and 178 regional champions.

The 1988 state championship team and Coach Hughes were inducted into the Cook County Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

He worked seven years as a GHSA wrestling official and was a USA Wrestling coach at the youth and high school level from 1976 to 2007.