As the 1960 high school football season came to a close, Ed Wiley was searching for an off-season conditioning activity for his offensive and defensive lineman when he stumbled into the world of high school wrestling.

Although never having participated in a wrestling match or having watched two wrestlers face off before a match, Coach Wiley agreed to lead San Dieguito High School’s first wrestling program.

Equipped with books detailing wrestling techniques and moves, and the well-meaning advice of parents, who had wrestled at some point in their lives, Wiley marched his grapplers through two seasons of takedowns, pins, and consecutive losses.

The program’s turnaround began in the third year when Wiley invited local, junior college wrestlers to use his facility and share practice time with his team. During the next 25 years, the former Army Ranger officer and two-way starter on the U.C. Santa Barbara football team guided his grapplers to six North County championships.

For his efforts, Wiley was twice awarded San Diego County Coach of the Year and presented the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s California Chapter in 1997. He was inducted into the San Diego Hall of Champions Legends in 2005, and presented a Lifetime Service Award by the California Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2013.

Using love to guide him, Wiley chose to expose his lack of experience in the uncharted waters of high school wrestling so his student athletes could succeed. He will always be remembered as a patient and kind coach who inspired, encouraged, and empowered his wrestlers and students to believe in themselves and their dreams.