Boys Wrestling

Meet the 2022 Grand Marshals

The Grand Marshals will lead the annual Parade of Champions Saturday night (March 12) before the championship bouts of the 41st annual Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) State Final Wrestling Tournament.

Named Grand Marshals for 2022 are: Bob Bell, Tim Gipe, and Steve Porter

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 76 individual finalists and their coaches into the Convocation Center, amidst music, applause and cheers from teammates, parents, family, and fans.

Bob Bell served as an IHSA licensed wrestling official for 21 years having put on the stripes for the first time in 1997 until his retirement from officiating in 2018. Over the course of those 21 years, Bob was a dedicated and loyal official who was particularly devoted to working junior high and middle schools meets and tournaments. He officiated numerous IESA regional and sectional meets and worked the IESA state finals in 2013 and 2016. He continues to be a friend of the IESA as he has worked mat side at the finals for the last several years. In 2014, Bob was named the IESA Official of the Year by the IWCOA. He and his Dona are the proud parents of three sons, Eric, Josh, and Trey. Injuries forced Bob to retire from officiating but he has remained a loyal and devoted fan of the sport.

A dedicated administrator who has faithfully served the IESA, Tim Gipe has spent his entire career in education and athletic administration. A 1985 graduate of Pecatonica High School where he participated in football, basketball, baseball and track and field, Tim attended Rock Valley Community College and then transferred to Sterling College in Kansas. While attending both Rock Valley and Sterling, Tim played baseball and was named all-conference in the 86-87 season. As the current athletic director for Sandwich High School, Tim has been heavily involved in the sport of wrestling. He has served on the IESA wrestling advisory committee, helped at the head table for several years at the IESA state finals, was named the I-8 Conference Wrestling Administrator of the year for 2015-16, and has served as the tournament director for numerous IESA and IHSA regional and sectional tournaments, the Plano Reaper Classic, and the I-8 conference tournament. He and his wife Dina have been married for 30 years and are the parents of Nolan (with daughter-in-law Emily and their son John), Anna, and Andrew.

Steve Porter graduated from Wauconda High School in 1969 where he wrestled all four years for the Bulldogs. Wrestling for Wauconda helped Steve develop a lifelong passion for the sport. He coached a total of 15 years for Marseilles Elementary School which is one of the smallest schools that participates in the IESA state wrestling series. Despite the small numbers, Steve was able to keep his teams competitive by instilling values and a strong work ethic in his athletes. His motto, ”When you step off that mat, life continues and it is how you perform in everyday life activities by which you will be measured and how you should measure yourself,” served his students and wrestlers well throughout his career. Steve is particularly proud of the number of his former students who are now teaching and coaching carrying on many of the traditions he taught his wrestlers. An avid supporter of the IESA and the wrestling program, Steve and his wife Mary have three children Erin, Millisa, and Sean along with four grandchildren.