Mike Polz began his wrestling career under the direction of his father, John Polz, and Ray and Roy Conrad with the Franklin Park Raiders. Mike went on to Riverside-Brookfield High School, where he was a two-time IHSA state qualifier for Otto Zeman. He continued his career at Eastern Illinois University under Coach Ron Clinton, where he placed second in the NCAA Division II National tournament and also qualified for the Division I championships on two occasions. Mike's high school teaching and coaching career began at Providence Catholic in 1983 as an assistant wrestling coach to Tim Ruettiger, during a five-year stretch that included a Class AA dual team title in 1988. He became Providence's head coach the following season and directed an extraordinary four-season run that included a 97-3-1 dual meet record, a Class AA Dual Team State title in 1989, a runner-up finish in 1990, nine individual state finalists and six individual state champions among 35 state qualifiers. He also coached football for Illinois Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame Coach Matt Senffner on the sophomore level, stringing together over 40 wins in five seasons. Mike's success was just getting started, though, when he moved to Sandburg High School in 1992, where he built a program that won three consecutive IHSA Dual Team state titles in Class AA from 2005-2007. He stepped down as head coach after 2008 to have more time to watch his sons wrestle in college, but he has remained as a Sandburg assistant to Eric Siebert. Mike is a member of the IWCOA Hall of Fame and was honored as the Coach of the Year in 1989 and 2005, Man of the Year in 2007, Assistant Coach of the Year in 2012, a Grand Marshall in 2013 and a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient in 2017. In 2007 he was also honored as the National High School Wrestling Coach of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association. He owns a career record of 451-47-1 with over 100 state qualifiers, 57 state place-winners, 27 state finalists and 18 individual state champions. He has been a part of seven state championship teams and has the lone distinction of being the only coach in the state to win a wrestling team state championship in both a public and a private high school. Mike's involvement in Illinois/USA Wrestling includes being a Junior National Coach since the mid-80's, coaching numerous All-Americans and serving on the staff for seven USA Junior National Dual Team Titles. His most rewarding accomplishment as a coach was passing the love of the sport of wrestling to his sons Clinton and Conrad, whom he had the honor of coaching as part of three Illinois Dual Team State Championships and three USA Junior National Dual Team Championships. He also coached Conrad to three individual state championships. Both sons wrestled for the University of Illinois, where Conrad went on to become a two-time NCAA Division I All-American. Clinton has followed in his father's footsteps, sharing his love of the sport as an assistant wrestling coach at Sandburg. He thanks his family: parents, sons, wrestling family and most importantly, his wife Sue, for all their love, support and encouragement throughout the years.