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Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by J. Meyerhoff on 1/8/2009,
5:00 pm
Former Kent-Meridian HS coach
Dick Pruett passed away Wednesday in his sleep while at home. Pruett was
an outstanding coach and leader in the SPSL and the state.
Memorial services will be held Monday at 2 pm at Zion Lutheran Church in
Kent, 25105 132nd Ave S.E.
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Dic Pruett's 2005 National Hall of Fame Bio:
Coach Dick Pruett coached 30 years at two high schools, Puyallup and
Kent Meridian, serving as head coach the last 26 years at Kent Meridian
High School. He compiled a 298-72-7 dual match record. His teams
accumulated 17 league titles, 14 sub-regional and ten regional
championships, and were state champions three times. His teams also
placed second twice and third place four times, totaling nine top-3
placings at state. Individually, Dick’s wrestlers claimed 80 league
champs, 62 regional champs and 16 state champs, including his son Joe,
who took the 135 pound Title in 1985. Dick counts 63 wrestlers as state
placers.
Many of Coach Pruett’s athletes went on to distinguish themselves beyond
the high school mats. Peter and Philip Ogan were National High School
champions; Bill Murdock was a NCAA Champion for the University of
Washington in 1978; Dave Orndorff was 2nd for the University of Oregon
in 1988 as well as other NCAA qualifiers Phil Paladay (WSU-1970), Brian
Higa (WSU-1982), Mike Bauer (OSU-79-80-81), and Mark Graham
(Stanford-1991). Pruett also served as one of the Washington Coaches to
the USWF National Freestyle and Greco-Roman Championships for five
years, 1984-1988.
Dick has received many honors and recognition for his unselfish
commitment and service to wrestling in Washington State. He was named
the AAA State Wrestling Coach of the year in 1977; was nominated for the
NFHS National Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1976-77 and 78; he was the
Puget Sound Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1992 and was inducted into
the Washington State Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1994.
Dick retired from teaching and coaching in 1992 and resides in Kent.
Dick and his wife Penny (deceased-2001) have two grown children, Amy and
Joe. Dick enjoys traveling to visit his grandchildren and can be found
yearly attending Mat Classic, the State Wrestling Championships.
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| I'm
sad to hear that. Posted
by Jhall on 1/8/2009, 7:31 pm, in reply to "Passing
of coach Dick Pruett"
| KM was a feared group of
wrestlers in the late 60's and 70's. |
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| Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by
Mike Sowards on 1/8/2009, 7:44 pm,
in reply to "Passing
of coach Dick Pruett"
| Dick was not only a great
coach but also a great person. I had a lot of respect for him because
whether you competed against KM or one of his wrestlers during
freestyle he would treat you like one of his own. So it was a complete
joy to have him in my corner back at Jr. Nationals in 86. He will be
missed. |
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Re: Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by D King on 1/9/2009, 6:58
am, in reply to "Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett"
| Dick Pruett was one of the
great coaches of all time in Washington. I find myself looking back
from time to time and remembering things he said or taught us while
we were in the wrestling room or driving across the country for a
freestyle or greco tournament and its amazing to me how much of it
was just life lesson stuff as well as wrestling lessons that I use
or apply even today, what an imprint this one Coach made on me and
I'm so thankful for knowing him and having him as a coach. His quiet
but tough demeanor (although at times pretty loud) made you never
want to disappoint him but, he also found a way to make you want to
succeed for yourself and also fear the thought of letting the other
guys on the team down by falling short of what was expected of you
as a teammate. I know after recently visiting with him he missed his
beloved wife of over 40 years and loved traveling to Mexico to see
his grandchildren and catching a spring training game in Arizona.
Now he is home again with Penny. Rest in peace Coach
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Re: Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by
Wally-ref on 1/9/2009, 8:09
am, in reply to "Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett"
| This person, Dick Pruett,
was one of the people I had a lot of confidence in as a former
wrestler @ KM during 1970-72... A no-nonsense guy who did not look
at color but what you had on the inside-he made you bring it
outside. All of you know who shaped your personal makeup during
the "early years"...Dick Pruett was one of those people... I'll be
at the memorial... |
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| Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by Larry Klopfstein on
1/9/2009, 10:31 am, in reply to "Passing
of coach Dick Pruett"
| Very sad news I still follow
wrestling @KM my son wrestled there recently & graduated in 2007 &
myself from 79-81 & Dick was a wonderful person that always had great
sayingsfor his wrestlers which I will never forget. He will be sorely
missed by all who knew him. Rest in Peace!! |
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| Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by Ken Sroka on 1/9/2009,
11:49 am, in reply to "Passing
of coach Dick Pruett"
| Although his active coaching
career was before I moved out here from the Midwest, I’ve talked to
others about the respect they have for Coach Pruett from when he was
at Kent-Meridian. He was a great coach that set the bar high for all
of us that follow in coaching. I admired his successful coaching
career, but I really enjoyed getting to talk to him at the
meets/tournaments he would show up for. I could listen to his old
coaching stories all day. Coach Pruett will be missed by many.
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Re: Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by
Dave Orndorff on 1/9/2009,
12:01 pm, in reply to "Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett"
What a sad day for me and
wrestling in Washington. I owe my whole wrestling career to Dick
Pruett. I had never wrestled before I entered Kent Meridian as a
Soph in the fall of 79. I played football for Dick and he bugged me
every day during football to turn out for wrestling. I respected him
so much that even though I didn’t want to wrestle I could not tell
him no. Obviously he saw something in me that I didn’t even see.
Aside from being such a good coach technique wise he also worked
with his wrestlers constantly on the mental aspect of wrestling
which a lot of coaches aren’t able to do. I look back often and am
great full that he convinced me that wrestling would be of value in
my life. What an understatement that is. Thanks coach for
everything. PS. I wrestled for Oregon State not Oregon
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Re: Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by Kelli on 1/9/2009, 2:09
pm, in reply to "Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett"
| My thoughts and prayers
go out to his family and all that knew him. Coach Pruett was an
amazing person and will be missed by all. |
Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by
Nathan A French on
1/9/2009, 6:36 pm, in reply to "Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett"
| I just wanted to take a
moment and say I'm sad to hear about coach pruett...My Prayers are
with his family. Although he seemed like he was angry and
indifferent tward me as a coach he demanded a great amount of
commitment and he seemed to give everything of himself and
expected the same from those who would alow him to (sternly) bring
out the best in performance. He did'nt seem to smile at me much
back in 1990 but when he did it made me want to give everything I
had to make him smile again! Thank's Dick for teaching me to never
give up...Nathan A French |
Link:
website
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Re: Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by
ANdrew Del Pozzi on 1/9/2009,
7:21 pm, in reply to "Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett"
My prayers and sympathy
go out to his family. While I was never the best Wrestler he
always demanded the best out of me. It is for that reason I have
been able to excel in academics, giving it my best as I pursue
my PhD in Exercise physiology. THank you coach Pruett, you have
touch many Lives.
Andrew |
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Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by ID Coach on
1/9/2009, 7:42 pm, in reply to "Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett"
| Very sad news. I had
the pleasure of wrestling for Coach Pruett on the Washington
Centennial games team. He was an incredible guy who opened up
his wrestling room to anybody who was willing to come in and
work. The best part of KM's open room was listening to stories
from Coach Pruett after practice. Unbelievable man, and an
Excellent coach. Washington Wrestling lost one of it's
greatest amabassodors. RIP |
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Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by Tim McCann on
1/9/2009, 8:59 pm, in reply to "Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett"
| I wrestled for
Auburn in the late 80's early 90's We always had tough match
when mighty K-M came to town. I remember in 90 I had the
opportunity to wrestle for him in the centennial games, a
off season event. Even thought I was a cross town rival he
coach me like I was on his team year round. I had a lot of
respect for him for that. After I won the state championship
he came up and congratulated me. He was a much bigger figure
in the wrestling community than just a coach for K-M Every
time I saw someone I knew that I thought kept in touch I
would ask how's Dick Pruett. Rest in peace. |
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Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by Dick Wooding on
1/9/2009, 9:12 pm, in reply to "Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett"
| Dick was one of
Washington's all time coaches and even a better person. Dick
had the unique ability to inspire his wrestlers to find the
best in themselves on and off the mat. In the 40 years I
knew Dick I witnessed countless times when he turned young
mens lives around and sent them out the door to live
fruitful lives. Dick has thousands of friends and will be
missed by all. |
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Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by Jim Nielsen on
1/9/2009, 10:44 pm, in reply to "Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett"
I too am deeply saddened
by the passing of Coach Pruett. We would always make the trip over
the mountains to wrestle Kent-Meridian in a dual and then to
wrestle in the Lake Washington tournament. Because of Coach Pruett
I was able to met and wrestle Dave Orndorff and eventually met his
family as their team hosted our team from Moses Lake. Dave and I
are still friends and mostly because of the influence of a great
man and the participation in a great sport.
Wrestling has done so much for so many and I too am truly grateful
for Coach Pruett and all of his efforts to help mold young boys
into men, who in turn have passed those same influences and
lessons on to other generations.
Thanks Coach Pruett, you'll be missed.
Jim Nielsen |
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Re: Passing of coach Dick Pruett
Posted by Brent Barnes on
1/10/2009, 1:16 am, in reply to "Re:
Passing of coach Dick Pruett"
| This is sad news. I
have yet to tell my dad but will tomorrow. Dick was a fantastic
man. He was my dad's assistant coach back in the 60's. When I
was a little boy he and his wife Penny would come over to the
house and they always treated me and my brother and sister so
well. I have many great Dick Pruett stories that I experienced
as a wrestler, young coach and some that my dad has passed
along. If you ever want to hear them I will be happy to pass
them along. He has left an indelible mark on my life as both a
coach and person and I will miss seeing him at Mat Classic. Both
he and his wife were genuine down to earth people. My
condolences go out to Joe his son and the entire family.
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Re: Passing of
coach Dick Pruett Posted
by J. Pruett on 1/10/2009, 8:42
pm, in reply to "Passing
of coach Dick Pruett"
| Amy and I are grateful for
all of the words of appreciation expressed for our dad and his life.
While we are deeply saddened by his passing and know Monday will be
difficult, we are looking forward to being with so many of you who
were touched by his life. |
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