2015 Bob Olson (Large) (Small).jpegBob Olson grew up and attended High school in Chetek, Wisconsin. While in High school Bob lettered three years on the varsity football team and was team captain his senior year. He also lettered two years for varsity baseball and was a four year varsity letterman in wrestling. His career high school record was 71-17 and he was 27-1 his senior year and place second at the state meet. As a Junior he placed 4th at the state meet.
After High School Bob attend the University of Wisconsin-Stout where he was a 3 time NAIA Tournament qualifier, placing third his senior year. Bob was also a two time Wisconsin State University Champion. Bob enlisted in the United State Marine Corps and wrestled two years in the service as well. After completing his military obligation Bob returned to his alma mater (Stout) and coached one year there before getting his first High School position at Baldwin-Woodville in 1972. During the year at Stout Bob was an assistant coach to Sten Pierce. They were entered in an open tournament and at the seeding meeting Bob told the coaches that one of their wrestlers, Dale Evans, had a brother that wrestled for the University of Wisconsin and that they were at the same weight. He told the committee that if they both advanced to the finals they would not wrestle against each other….they did advance and they didn’t wrestle. Both Dale and Steve received “LIfetime Achievement Awards” from the National Hall of Fame” in 2009.
After leaving Stout, Bob’s first High School coaching job was as head coach at Baldwin-Woodville. While there he had two State qualifiers. In 1975 Bob became the head coach at Cameron High School where he remained until 2001. During that time Bob had 34 State Qualifiers and three State Champions. His teams won six Lakeland Conference Championship and nine team titles.
In 1995 Bob was Wisconsin “Coach of the Year” and his team placed 2nd at the State Individual Tournament. Bob left Cameron in 2004 to return to coach at his home high school, Chetek. Chetek and Prairie is a coop team. Since there his teams have won the Heart of The North Conference Team Championship four times and he has has 37 state qualifiers and 4 State Individual Champions. Bob has just completed his 40th year of coaching.