One of the great contributors to the sport of wrestling in Minnesota is Pete Veldman of South St. Paul. Pete has played an instrumental role in the support of wrestling for many years. As a wrestler, coach, athletic director, official, scholarship coordinator, and part of the MSHSL management team at the State Tournament, Pete has served our state and sport beyond the norm. Pete was a great athlete growing up in Albert Lea, Minnesota. He captured the Minnesota State heavyweight wrestling title in l951. He was a three-sport star in football, wrestling and track at Albert Lea High School. He went on to compete at the University of Minnesota where he placed third and fourth in the Big 10 Conference Championships. He was a member of the l957 and l959 Big 10 Championship teams for the Gophers. He also wrestled in three NCAA national tournaments. He was recruited to Minnesota by Gophers legendary Coach Dave Bartelma, who started the Gopher wrestling program and Wally Johnson. Veldman served two years in the military from 1954 to 1956 with 18 months in Korea. Pete started his career in education as a coach at South St. Paul High School, coaching football and wrestling from l959 to l964. He had already started officiating as a college student and continued in that capacity for 42 years. He was one of the nation's best too, having officiated in five NCAA Division I National Championships, seven NCAA Division II National Championships, and twelve Big 10 Championships. He also officiated many high school state tournaments. As a coach, Veldman coached Roys Andrews to second and third place finishes in the State tournament in l963 and l964. His South St. Paul teams also captured District 14 in l963 and l964. Taking over as Athletic Director in l964, Veldman was able to work on several organizational aspects for the sport of wrestling. He was Co-Coordinator of the MSHSL State Wrestling tournament for 25 years. He also helped start the Le Roy Maas Wrestling Scholarship fund. To date the Maas Scholarship has awarded 26 scholarships. It is named in honor of Pete's high school coach at Albert Lea High School. Maas coached Veldman in football, wrestling and track. Total scholarships have reached $30,000 in funds awarded. Veldman is the Executive Secretary of the Minnesota High School Athletic Directors Association and helps raise six scholarships each year on behalf of that organization. Veldman also was a charter member of the first wrestling official's organization in the Twin Cities in the early l960's. In this capacity he has served as a head official, was a tournament rules interpreter and was responsible for supervision and evaluation of the State Tournament. Veldman's many contributions to student - athletes, coaches and programs have also brought great recognition. He is a member of Dave Bartelma Minnesota Wrestling Hall of Fame. The South St. Paul wrestling room is named in his honor, and so is the South St. Paul "Pete Veldman" Invitational Wrestling Tourney. He is also a member of the Minnesota State High School Athletics Directors Hall of Fame and the Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame. Pete served on the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association for 29 years. He is also a member of the University of Minnesota Assembly Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics and was President of the University of Minnesota "M" Club in l974. Few people have served so many students, athletes, coaches and organizations as Pete Veldman. He is truly one of the great men in Minnesota Wrestling history.