From the wrestling room at Greenville High School, to the jungles of Vietnam, to the halls of the Pennsylvania Legislature, Senator Robert D. Robbins has touched many lives.

A 1962 graduate of Greenville High School 1962, Robbins wrestled for the late David H. Clelland and won the 127-pound Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state championship his senior year.

He continued his wrestling career at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he was an Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) champion as a freshman, when freshmen were not allowed to compete in the NCAA tournament. He finished fourth at the EIWA tournament in 1964 and won the title in 1966. He was a two-time NCAA All-American, finishing sixth in 1965 and fifth in 1966.

Following his commission as an officer, Robbins served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War. While in the service, he won the All-U.S. Army championship and the Inner Service Freestyle title in 1967. He received his Ranger Tab, Airborne Wings and the Combat Infantry Badge and was awarded the Soldier's Medal for Heroism, the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, Bronze Star Medals for Meritorious Service, the Army Commendation Medal for Valor and Army Commendations for Meritorious Service.

He had done undergraduate and post-graduate work at Duquesne University, Slippery Rock State College, East Stroudsburg State College and Geneva College and following his separation from the Army he returned to Greenville as a social studies teacher and succeeded his mentor, Coach Clelland, as wrestling coach.

During his tenure at Greenville from 1973-77, Robbins' teams had a 44-11 record. He coached four PIAA state finalists and three state champions, including Greenville's first two-time champion, Steve Riley. His third champion, Norman Walker, was the first Pennsylvania high school wrestler to win 100 career matches.

Robbins left education in 1977 to become an associate of the Massachusetts General Life Insurance Company, but he didn't leave wrestling. He served as president of the PIAA District X Coaches Association from 1976-80 and president of the Pennsylvania Wrestling Federation (now USA Wrestling) from 1978-84. He was an assistant coach with the Pennsylvania Wrestling Federation in 1975-76 and served as head coach from 1977-84, coaching 13 Junior National champions. In 1978, he coached Pennsylvania to the Cadet National freestyle team title and had five individual national champions. In 1983, he coached Pennsylvania to the National Greco-Roman Championship title and led the freestyle team to a runner-up finish, earning him Man of the Year from the United States Wrestling Federation.

He was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1982 and served four terms. In 1990 he was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate, serving the 50th District. He is currently the Majority Caucus Secretary and served as Majority Policy Committee Chairman from 1996-2000. Among his legislative duties he has been Chairman of the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee and has chaired, as well as been a member of, the Local Government Commission. He has been a member of the Games and Fisheries Committee, the Community and Economic Development Committee, the Rules and Executive Nominations Committee and the American Legislative Exchange Council. He served 10 years as the Pennsylvania State Chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council.

While serving as a legislator, Robbins worked tirelessly, and successfully, to remove control of amateur wrestling from the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission, which had controlled all amateur wrestling outside of the scholastic and collegiate field. In the 1999-2000 session, Robbins served on a special task force to review the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association.

While politics is his passion these days, he still has time for wrestling. He helped organize the Thiel College Invitational Tournament in 1987 and 1988, served as coach and coordinator of wrestling for the Keystone State Games in 1984 and 1985.

He still announces wrestling matches and tournaments for WGRP/­WEXC, Greenville, as he has done since 1977.

Robbins was elected into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1995 and is also a member of the Mercer County Sports Hall of Fame.

Robbins and his wife, Cindy, make their home in Salem Township, Pennsylvania.