Dean Corner has been involved in the sport of wrestling in the capacity of competitors, coach, official, and contributor from 1950 to the present -- a total of 38 years. Wrestling was going no where at Cedarburg High School until Dean Corner took the school, the program, the town and shook them to their roots. He created a cornerstone out of a doormat and his name has become synonymous with wrestling in Cedarburg.
Corner took over at Cedarburg in 1967 and established a wrestling program from first grade through high school. He worked to see Cedarburg wrestling become the pride of the school. From 1974 through 1978, Cedarburg won 4 Braveland Conference titles, including 3 straight from 1974-1976 to become only the second Braveland school to accomplish that feat. Cedarburg won regional titles or co-titles in 1974, '75, '76, '77 and '79, and a sectional championship in 1976. Also, Corner coached the only individual state champion Cedarburg has ever had, Paul Sigler, who won his title in 1975.
Corner's wrestling career was brilliant. He won three Nebraska state high school championships while at Omaha Technical High School. While at Iowa State, Corner wont he Big Eight championship in 1956 and 1957, earning All-American honors in those same years. He finished 3rd in the NCAA championships in 1956.
Corner coached wrestling 2 years (1959-61) at Omaha North High School, Omaha Nebraska; 1 year (1962-63) at Barrington High School, Barrington, Illinois; and 1 year (1963-64 as an assistant coach at Indiana University before George Martin recruited him to Wisconsin. He accepted the head wrestling position (164-65) at Ripon High School, Ripon Wisconsin, before taking the position at Cedarburg.
Corner's contribution to Cedarburg High athletics was more of a solid foundation than a prolific flamboyance. He worked quietly but tirelessly, hauling kids of all ages back and forth to weekend tournaments, developing skills, making friends and promoting wrestling throughout his community, his conference and his state.
Corner has spread his expertise around for others to use. He has acted as clinician and camp consultant in Wisconsin, Nebraska, Colorado, Minnesota, Iowa and Indiana. He has served as district representative for the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association and on the WIAA Wrestling Rules Interpretation Committee. Corner has officiated at the university, high school and youth levels in both dual meets and tournaments.
He has provided the Dean A. Corner Wrestling Scholarship at Cedarburg High School each year for a graduating senior who pursues a post-high school education and has participated in wrestling at Cedarburg High School. He is a member of the Nebraska Scholastic Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame.