Boys Wrestling

Meet the 2005 Grand Marshals

Two Grand Marshals will lead the annual Parade of Champions Saturday night (March 12) before the championship bouts of the 26th annual Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) State Final Wrestling Tournament.

Named Grand Marshals for 2005 are:

• Bob Jahn
• Dan Fulscher

The IESA started having Grand Marshals in 1996. The Grand Marshals are honored for their contributions to interscholastic wrestling and the young men who participate in the sport. They are nominated by the IESA Wrestling Advisory Committee and approved by the IESA Board of Directors. The marshals will play an integral role of the Parade of Champions as they will lead the 38 individual finalists and their coaches into the Convocation Center, amidst music, applause and cheers from teammates, parents, family, and fans.

Here is a closer look at the 2005 Grand Marshals:

It is with fond remembrances that we recognize posthumously, Bob Jahn. Bob passed away nearly a year ago on April 5, 2004, but his legacy and his contributions to IESA wrestling will be remembered forever. Bob wrestled for Bolingbrook B.J. Ward Middle School and for Bolingbrook High School. During his senior season at Bolingbrook he was both a conference and regional champion. His career record at BHS was 130-10-2. After his senior year in 1980, Bob attended Western Illinois University and joined the Army in 1982 where he wrestled on the Army team overseas. He returned to his native Bolingbrook and coached at Humphrey Middle School for 10 years and one year at Bolingbrook High School. In 2000, Bob coached Humphrey to 4th place in the IESA. Three of his wrestlers that year won individual titles and another placed second. During his ten years at Humphrey, Bob had six individual IESA state champions, two who placed second, three who won third place honors, three who garnered 4th place, two 5th place finishers, and one 6th place winner. Bob loved the sport of wrestling and loved passing that love down to the next generations. In December, 2003 the wrestling room at Humphrey Middle School was dedicated to Bob. His greatest reward was being able to march in the IESA Parade of Champions along side of his sons. Bob's shining moment was just a little over one year ago when he was able to travel to Champaign to the University of Illinois and watch son Kyle win his weight class to complete a perfect 37-0 season. In Bob's final weeks, he was surrounded by family, friends, and his wrestling family, many of whom stopped by his house to say thanks. Bob is survived by his wife Donna, three sons all of whom wrestled for their dad, Mike, Kyle, and Ryan, and daughter Hannah.

A native of Lincoln, Illinois, Dan Fulscher has officiated more IESA state wrestling finals than any other official. Dan has worked the IESA championships 16 years, twice as the head official. A Big 12 champion when he wrestled at Lincoln High School, his high school coach was IWCOA Hall of Fame member, Floyd Bee. Dan set Lincoln's all-time reversal record and led the team in two-point near falls. He has been an IHSA licensed official for 30 years and has worked IHSA regionals 27 years, sectionals 23 years, individual state tournament 12 times, and the dual team state tournament eight years. He was named IWCOA Official of the Year in 1994, served on the Executive Board of IWCOA for 13 years, served as its President and past President, and was inducted into the IWCOA Hall of Fame in 2000. He was named the National Federation Illinois Official of the Year twice---in 1997 and in 2003. A certified clinician for the IHSA, Fulscher served on the IESA wrestling advisory committee for three years. Dan has always made himself available to work with the junior high school programs and help secure officials for junior high school programs. He is the current Logan County Emergency Management 9-1-1 Director and is the Assistant Chief for the Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District. Dan's family includes his wife Fran, sons Jason and Robbie, daughter-in-law Tiffanie, and granddaughter, Abbie.