Liberty High School just made a huge splash with its newest athletic hires.
Three-time NCAA champion Joe Williams and Tom Van Dyke have been hired as Liberty wrestling's first "co-head coaches," principal Scott Kibby announced Thursday via email.
Williams is a 10-time national freestyle champion and a two-time Pan American Games champion. One of American wrestling's more decorated athletes, Williams finished fifth at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and has a pair of world bronze medals to his credit.
He wrestled for coach Dan Gable while with the Hawkeyes and was an assistant coach there for three years. He currently coaches at the club level and works as a financial adviser at Northwestern Mutual in North Liberty.
Van Dyke has spent the past five years at Iowa City West coaching on Mark Reiland's staff while teaching physical education and health. He'll teach the same disciplines at Liberty. Before West, Van Dyke was head wrestling coach at Red Oak and Griswold for eight years.
He's a former heavyweight wrestling state champion and an all-state football player from his time at Clark Community Schools.
http://www.press-citizen.com/story/...rty-high-school-coach-tom-van-dyke/318098001/
Three-time NCAA champion Joe Williams and Tom Van Dyke have been hired as Liberty wrestling's first "co-head coaches," principal Scott Kibby announced Thursday via email.
Williams is a 10-time national freestyle champion and a two-time Pan American Games champion. One of American wrestling's more decorated athletes, Williams finished fifth at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and has a pair of world bronze medals to his credit.
He wrestled for coach Dan Gable while with the Hawkeyes and was an assistant coach there for three years. He currently coaches at the club level and works as a financial adviser at Northwestern Mutual in North Liberty.
Van Dyke has spent the past five years at Iowa City West coaching on Mark Reiland's staff while teaching physical education and health. He'll teach the same disciplines at Liberty. Before West, Van Dyke was head wrestling coach at Red Oak and Griswold for eight years.
He's a former heavyweight wrestling state champion and an all-state football player from his time at Clark Community Schools.
http://www.press-citizen.com/story/...rty-high-school-coach-tom-van-dyke/318098001/
