One of Minnesota's most successful wrestling coaches ever from the West Central part of the state is former Foley High School Coach Lyle Freudenberg. Lyle is a native of Parker's Prairie, Minnesota where he attended Parker's Prairie High School and was a 3-sport athlete in football, wrestling and track. As a senior, Lyle placed 3rd in State in the Minnesota State Wrestling Tournament at 138 lbs in the old "one class" system in 1970. He was a 3-Time All-Conference wrestler. Lyle was also twice named to the All-Conference team in football, where he played offensive guard and was a linebacker on defense. Lyle says he also did track in the spring because his football coach Andy McCarty (inducted into the NWHOFMinnesota Chapter in 2010) was the coach. After high school, Lyle attended Moorhead State University where his successful wrestling career continued. Lyle was a Northern Intercollegiate Conference Champion his senior year in 1974, and a 2-time national qualifi er. He also served as Team Co-Captain with teammate Bob Bowlsby, the current Commissioner of the Big 12 (D1) Athletic Conference. Bowlsby was a graduate of West Waterloo High School where legend Dan Gable wrestled. Both Gable and Bowlsby wrestled under the coaching of legendary Hall of Fame Coach Bob Siddens. Both Freudenberg and Bowlsby wrestled for Hall of Fame Coach Bill Garland at Moorhead State. After graduating from Moorhead State in 1975, Freudenberg took his fi rst teaching position in Oakes, North Dakota. Lyle taught biology and chemistry and coached three different sports of football, wrestling and track. After three years at Oakes High School and a 20-10 wrestling team record, Freudenberg was hired as a science teacher at Foley High School, where he remained for 36 years, serving as a wrestling coach for the last 32 years (1982-2014). Lyle spent his last two seasons sharing the head wrestling coach position with longtime assistant coach, and former Foley wrestler, Scott Gorecki. Gorecki wrestled on the 1993 State Championship Team. In addition to coaching, Lyle also served as a Section Coaches Representative for four years. Under Coach Lyle Freudenberg, an amazing 20 Foley High school Wrestling Teams qualifi ed for the State Tournament. The team placed in 19 of the 20 years, with 5 Consolation Championship Teams (5th place), placed 4th twice, fi nished 3rd six times, were State Runner-ups twice and won State Team titles three times, in 1989, 1993 and 1994. During that time span 72 wrestlers were State place-winners, and the teams overall dual meet record totaled 710-137-6, a winning percentage of 83%. Coach Freudenberg's overall head coaching record totaled 730- 158-4. With the success of his Foley teams Coach Freudenberg was awarded with numerous coaching honors. He was voted Section "Coach of the Year" ten different times, and three times voted Minnesota (MWCA) State Class AA "Coach of the Year." Coach Freudenberg was also named 2008 State Person of the Year," from Wrestling USA Magazine; Inducted into the Dave Bartelma-Minnesota Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Foley High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017. At Foley High School Lyle also coached junior high football for 20 years and Boys and Girls track for six years. In addition, he coached Girls softball for 10 years and junior high wrestling for four years. Coach Freudenberg understood the importance of assembling a quality coaching staff from top to bottom. Lyle says, "If you have good junior high and elementary level coaches then you can have a lot of success. If you don't have those people in place, your program is going to fall apart." Longtime Foley Wrestling Assistant Coach Larry Harm says, "Lyle is a leader of men. He was able to mold young men into contributing members of our community. Through his wrestling program, countless young men were taught accountability to others, and respect for each other and their opponents. He also helped them develop the type of work ethic that sometimes gets lost in today's society." Foley Activities Director Michael Johnson says, "Lyle is a person of passion and a true public educator. I have never seen someone so willing to work with all students and get the best out of every individual he coached no matter how much ability they have. Lyle's character far exceeds that of my own and I look at him not only as a great mentor for myself, but the standard that ALL coaches should aspire to be." Finally, Assistant Foley Wrestling Coach Jake Helmin, who also wrestled for Coach Freudenberg says this about his former coach and mentor: "All of the stats and accomplishments are great to have, but for coach (Freudenberg) those stats didn't matter to him at all. The most important thing that he cared about was his wrestlers and the staff he coached with. He would do everything in his power to develop us into great wrestlers and great young men." The very supportive Freudenberg Family includes wife, Lynn, and adult children, Josh, Jared and Laura. Husband and father, coach and mentor, Lyle Freudenberg has touched many people's lives in a positive and motivating way. Congratulations to Coach Lyle Freudenberg on his inclusion to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame-Minnesota Chapter. An honor well deserved!