A great wrestler and a great coach was Ken Schmoker of Bemidji, Minnesota. Ken was a highly successful wrestler in college and went on to coach successfully at the high school level for 23 years. A graduate of Fort Dodge High School in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Schmoker grew up in a community and state that strongly regarded the sport of wrestling. As a high school wrestler Ken placed second in state at 145 pounds. He was also an All-State guard in football and lettered in track. After high school Schmoker entered the military, joined the United States Air Force and served in the European Theatre. After his discharge he attended Fort Dodge Junior College, there he captained the football team. He then transferred to Colorado State in Greeley, Colorado. At Colorado State he was a three year letterman in football and in wrestling he captured three Rocky Mountain Conference championships. He also Lettered three years and competed in the national tournament three times. In l950 he earned All-American honors as a senior with a college record of 33-12. He participated on three conference championship teams. Ken was also a member of the Colorado State Student Council and a member of Phi Delta Kappa and Delta Phi Delta. Schmoker started his coaching and teaching career at Trinidad High School for one year then moved to Pueblo Centennial High School where his 1954 team captured the Colorado State Championship. He and his wife, Mabel, then moved back to the Midwest and he accepted a job at Bemidji High School in l958, after a one year stint at LaPorte H.S. in Minnesota. At Bemidji three wrestlers(Jerry Lee, Ricky Lee, and Nestle Grimes) won State titles and 13 others were State place winners. His teams won ten District titles and eight Region championships. His wrestling team won ten District titles, eight Region titles, won two Northwest Conference titles and one team placed as high as 6th in State in the old one class system. His career coaching record was 129-83. Ken's involvement went well beyond his coaching efforts too. He served as President of the Colorado Wrestling Coaches Association and served on the National High School Federation Rules Committee. He also organized and directed many wrestling tournaments, including District and Regional tournaments. Schmoker is a member of the Bemidji High School Athletic Hall of Fame and the Minnesota "Dave Bartelma" Wrestling Hall of Fame and now being inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Ken Schmoker will be remembered well beyond the successful stats. Howard Schultz, former Bemidji State Wrestler and an assistant coach to Schmoker at Bemidji High School says, "Ken lived by example and still does. He is an example of what hard work, dedication and yet being humble are virtues we all wish we had" Members of the Schmoker family include Ken's wife, Maedel. They have a son, David, and daughter Mary Ann.