Wisconsin Wrestling Hall of Fame
Don Herrmann
WIAA Stevens Point
GMHOF 1981
NWHOF Lifetime Service 2007
Don Herrmann has been actively involved with the sport of wrestling either as a coach, official or administrator for over 43 years. He was also the Assistant to the Athletic Director of the W.I.A.A.
In 1956 Herrmann started the wrestling program at Whittenburg High School, and in 1960 he moved to Oconto and began the wrestling program at that school as well. After Oconto Don Herrmann taught in the Madison Public Schools, Middleton School District and at the University of Wisconsin.
During his years in the Madison area, Don served as the first State Chairman for the U.S.W.F. as well as Director of the W.I.A.A. State Wrestling Tournaments for thirty-three years. During that time he made significant changes to the tournament format including the addition of the March of Champions. Prior to his years as tournament director he officiated the tournament five times. Herrmann was also very active as a wrestling official and on two occasions was selected to work at the N.C.A.A. National Tournament. He also served as Director of the Northern Open Wrestling Tournament and coordinated the first U.S.A. - U.S.S.R. dual meet held in Madison.
In 1973 Herrmann left the Madison area to join the staff of the W.I.A.A. While responsible for the sport of wrestling, Don developed the weight certification program commonly referred to as "The 7% Program'. That program has been adopted by the National Federation which includes all states that sponsors wrestling. It has also been adopted by the NCAA for college wrestling.
Obituary - IN LOVING MEMORY OF
DONALD E. HERRMANN
JULY 19, 1932 - SEPTEMBER 5, 2016
Madison - Donald E. Herrmann, age 84, of Madison, passed away unexpectedly at home on Monday, September 5, 2016. Don was born on July 19, 1932 in Chicago Illinois to William and Antonia Herrmann. When Don was 13, his family moved from Chicago to Minocqua Wisconsin where Don lived until he graduated high school.
Don was united in marriage to his college sweetheart Jean Robertson on June 10, 1953. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, Don taught math at Oconto High School where he also coached football and wrestling. He then moved to Madison to attend graduate school, where he taught on the University of Wisconsin physical education faculty and served as Executive Secretary of the American College of Sports Medicine. During this time, he also worked as a referee for football and wrestling, including Wisconsin state tournaments, Big Ten, and the NCAA National Wrestling Championships. In 1973 Don became Assistant Director at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association where he worked until retirement. After retirement, Don moved back to Madison and remained active in a variety of civic organizations.
Throughout his life, Don loved athletics. He was a multi-sport athlete in high school and college, coach, referee, and athletic administrator. Don was inducted into the George Martin Wrestling Hall of Fame, the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Athletic Hall of Fame, the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and the Wisconsin Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame. He also received a Lifetime Service Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. In addition, Don served as an elected official in the Town of Hull, and was involved in a variety of civic organizations, including President of his local Kiwanis.
Don was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Jean Herrmann, as well as his parents, William and Antonia Herrmann, and two brothers, Eugene and Robert Herrmann. He is survived by three children, Scott (Mary) Herrmann, Sherri (Len) Pilon, and Susan (Scott) Mindock, as well as 6 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.
Visitation will be held from 5pm to 7pm with a memorial service at 7pm on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at Cress Funeral Home, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison, Wisconsin. In lieu of flowers, Don had suggested a donation to the Hale Quandt Memorial Scholarship Fund, online at https://give.uwsp.edu/give-now or by mail to 2100 Main Street, Suite 134, Stevens Point, Wisconsin 54481.
Cress Funeral and Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road
Madison, WI 53705
608-238-3434
Prep sports: Services for former WIAA associate director Don Herrmann will be Wednesday
- Sep 12, 2016
The service for former WIAA associate director Don Herrmann, who passed away Sept. 5 at the age of 84, is scheduled for this week in Madison, according to the WIAA.
Family and friends may visit at Cress Funeral Home at 3610 Speedway Road in Madison from 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, until the Celebration of Life Service at 7 p.m.
Herrmann served 25 years in the executive office of the WIAA, retiring Aug. 1, 1998.
He joined the staff in July, 1973, as an assistant to the director. His duties included tournament planning and rule responsibilities for the sports of football, wrestling, tennis, softball and hockey.
He later added sports medicine responsibilities and was instrumental in development of the first wrestling minimum-weight program in the nation, which implemented guidelines and restrictions for weight loss, according to the WIAA.
In the minds of many — especially in Wisconsin’s wrestling circles and beyond — Don’s pioneering of the wrestling minimum-weight program, the first in the nation, will be one of his most enduring legacies,” WIAA executive director Dave Anderson said. “Don was not only an extraordinary thinker and `doer’ in his own right, but he was also very willing to look at other ideas and incorporate them into his own efforts as he strived to develop the best possible climate for student-athletes.”
In 1992, he was promoted to associate director.
Earlier in his career, he enrolled in graduate work at the University of Wisconsin and taught part-time in Madison and Middleton. He joined the UW physical education department in 1965 and became leader of the American College of Sports Medicine. He also officiated football and wrestling and served as a rules interpreter in wrestling before joining the WIAA staff.