2000 Andy Fenderson  Racine (Small).jpgAndy Fenderson is a 1959 graduate of Washington Park High School, Racine, Wisconsin. There he was introduced to wrestling by Hall of Fame coach "Buck Weaver." He attended UW-LaCrosse where he was a four-letter winner in football, a four-letter winner in wrestling and a member of the first LaCrosse wrestling team.

After graduating from LaCrosse, Andy spent three years teaching math and coaching wrestling at Northridge Jr. High School in Danville, Illinois. He returned to Racine in 1966 and has taught math and coached track, cross country, football and wrestling at the junior high and high school level.

He has been involved in wrestling in Wisconsin for 34 years as a coach and clinician; 32 years at Park High School. In 1968 he moved to Park High School as an assistant coach to then head coach Duane Kleven, whose takedown/release style was similar to his own philosophy. Andy became head track coach in 1969 and head wrestling coach in 1971, a position he holds yet today. His teams have compiled a 209-126-3 record during his tenure.

The Washington Park Wrestling Club was started in 1978 and coached by Andy and his staff. The club, continuing under the dedicated efforts of parents and assistant coaches, has been instrumental in the early development of many state qualifiers and place winners from Racine County over the last 20 years.

Fenderson's Park teams in the late 70's and early 80's experienced unproductive team performance until he refocused his takedown philosophy in the mid 1980's. Emphasizing the takedown-release has resulted in greatly improved individual and team performance for his Park wrestling teams over the past 14 years. Since 1986, his teams have compiled a 130-59-0 record, produced 41 of his 71 conference champions, 43 of his 65 regional champs, 30 of 35 sectional champs, 55 of 72 state qualifiers and 16 of 19 state place winners with two state champions. Over that same span, Park has won five conference, six regional, 2 sectional championships and placed 12th, 11th, fifth and second at the state meet.

He has been named Racine County Coach of the Year seven times since 1986, District Coach of the Year in 1991 and was inducted into the Park High School Hall of Fame last year in recognition of his dedicated work with students and athletes and his success in wrestling.

Park's success is a product of the support and confidence of talented assistant coaches, cooperative parents and dedicated wrestlers who believe in what he was doing and committed themselves to his program. It is with great pride that we induct Andy Fenderson into the George Martin Wrestling Hall of Fame.