The longest active coach in Minnesota High School Wrestling History has been Gary Hindt of Wabasso. Gary stepped down after the 2017 season after 49 years at the helm. What a fi ne career he had too! With 807 career wins, Hindt finishes as the #2 "All-Time" winningest coach in Minnesota Wrestling History, and he also ranks #7 "All-Time" in the USA. His overall career coaching record ended at a most impressive 807-214-6. Garyʼs teams were very successful, earning him numerous coaching honors. Among those, he was named Minnesota-Class A "Coach of the Year" two times, in 2004 and 2006. He was also awarded Section "Coach of the Year" honors six times. His four Wabasso and Wabasso/Red Rock Central High School State Tournament teams placed second in 2004, fourth in 2006, fifth in 2011 and sixth in 2016. Twelve Wabasso teams captured twelve Tomahawk Conference championships and ten teams won District 10 titles. The longtime veteran coach was recognized for his teamʼs success with induction into the Dave Bartelma Minnesota Wrestling "Hall of Fame" in 1994, and he was twice selected as Minnesota-Class A "Coach of the Year" in 2004 and 2006. He coached six individual State Champions and nine State Runner-ups with numerous other State Placewinners and 116 state qualifiers during his coaching career. Three of those wrestlers (went on to become College All-Americans in Pat and Art Rohlik (Southern University-Springfield, SD) and Jim Louwagie (SW Minnesota State University-Marshall, MN. Bartelma Hall of Famer and former Milacca HS Coach Randy Zimmer (wrestled for Hindt in HS) went on to be a Minnesota Junior College "State Champion." Gary graduated from Fulda high School in 1963. He was Captain of his football and wrestling teams and received MVP honors in football. A classmate and good friend of Garyʼs was longtime well-known Star Tribune Sportswriter and Minnesota personality Patrick Reusse. Hindt went on to Worthington Junior College (ʼ65) where he became an All-Region football player. He then went on to play football at Dakota State College in Madison, South Dakota, graduating in 1968. Wabasso Activities Director Joe Kemp says, "Heʼs meant so much to this community in what heʼs done for these kids." Kemp also says, "Heʼll be the first to tell you that heʼs never wrestled a match-heʼs very humble about that-but heʼs more proud of these kids and what theyʼre doing now. He tells you constantly that heʼs got so-and-so who wrestled for him in ʼ70-something is a dentist down in Pipestone and somebodyʼs an attorney up in the Cities." "To me, thatʼs a person whoʼs doing it for the right reasons...heʼs humble and he does it for the right reasons. Wabassoʼs better because of it, the young menʼs lives who heʼs touched are better because of it." In 1968 when Hindt came to Wabasso he was to be the head football coach, but they also wanted him to start a brand new wrestling program. The superintendent said, "Youʼre my No. 1 pick, but it would sure help if youʼd start the wrestling program," Hindt said. "I said I didnʼt feel very qualified to do that, but I needed the money. So I said, "Sure, but please after a couple years, fi nd somebody because my knowledge is very limited in wrestling." After a few successful seasons and learning more about the sport, and getting more involved in the community, Coach Hindt was hooked on wrestling! Hindt jokingly said, "I donʼt think the school tried hard enough to fi nd a replacement." Hindt says, "We spent a lot of Saturdays on the road, hopped in the car and away we went with our paper and pencil and a couple kids to demonstrate on," Hindt said. "Thatʼs pretty much that and some coaching clincs I went to. I started learning it and everyone was satisfied with what was going on." AD-Joe Kemp says, "He knows how to motivate kids, Iʼll tell you that." Kemp wrestled and played football for Hindt when he was a student at Wabasso High School. "Heʼs got something that makes them want to run through walls for him and heʼs always had it." Hindt also had the parents support. Kemp says. "Everybody trusts him with their kids. You look at the 49 years, weʼve had lots of parents who have wrestled for him and their kids have went in there and we just all say we know our kids are going to become better human beings when they come out of that wrestling room. Heʼs going to chew their butts when they need it and praise them when they need it. Heʼs somebody everybody trusts." The past eight years Hindt has shared his wrestling coaching experience with Brett Bartholmaus as Co-Head Coaches. Hindt also served as head football coach for 29 years at Wabasso, and volunteered coaching another twelve years. In total, Gary Hindt coached over 100 athletic seasons at Wabasso in the various sports he coached. Gary is a Lifetime Member of the MSHSL and a member of the MWCA, from 1968 to present. Beyond coaching he has been a Lions Club member in Wabasso since 1974 and the Wabasso Athletic Boosters since 1969. He has been a Lions Club member since 1974 and and been named "Lion of the Month" several times. He also served on the Wabasso City Council for six years. Gary is a broker/owner of his own real estate company, Rural State Realty in Wabasso. Garyʼs supportive wife of 47 years is Jennifer and his two adult daughters are Heather Arntson (Mike) and Erika Huber (Cory). Wrestling has been a family affair too. Jenni kept stats for many years and was an Owatonna graduate and wrestling fan, and his daughters always attended the meets. Erika, in Huron, SD also heads up the youth wrestling program there and is a nursing professor at SDSU in Brookings, SD. Heather is a high school teacher in Moorhead, MN. The Hindtʼs have a grandson, Daynon, who has qualified for the South Dakota State Tournament several times. The Hindtʼs have 8 grandchildren, 4 boys and 4 girls.