St. Clair Youth Tournament a tribute to Gene Goettl
January 30, 2010
On Sunday, January 24 the St. Clair Wrestling Club hosted its annual
elementary tournament. Only this year, a key player was missing: Gene
Goettl, the man who was instrumental in starting the elementary
wrestling program at St. Clair in the 1980s. Exactly one year from the
date of his tragic death, the Gene Goettl Memorial Tournament was held
in his honor and, as his grandson Dylan pulled out an exciting
last-second win in triple overtime, you could be certain that Gene’s
spirit is still living on.
Before the start of the tournament, the family presented an etched
plaque with Gene’s portrait on it to the wrestling community to serve
as a reminder of Gene’s unwavering commitment to the sport and to serve
as a memorial within the school to Gene’s legacy.
Along with the plaque, a scholarship will annually be awarded in Gene’s
name to a graduating senior wrestler that humbly holds the same
passion, intrigue and enthusiasm for the sport of wrestling that Gene
did. In addition, Kato Engineering (Gene’s employer of more than 20
years) donated three display boards that are mounted in the high school
wrestling room. The first board notes the top five wrestlers in school
history in wins, takedowns, pins and winning percentage. Another sign
lists wrestlers who have placed in the top six in state. The third sign
lists current wrestlers and their weight class.
~Diann Ward
Tyler Goettl, with brother Matt Rasmussen at his side, read a
tribute to Gene at the start of the tournament Sunday. Tyler and Matt
are surrounded by members of the St. Clair elementary team.
A plaque, with Gene’s photo, was presented to the wrestling
program at St. Clair in Gene’s honor. The plaque is inscribed, “In
Dedicated Memory of Gene Goettl – Co-Founder Youth Wrestling.”
Gene’s sons Matt Rasmussen and Tyler Goettl, his wife Kathy
Goettl and daughter Nikki Wakefield in front of the display boards
donated by Kato Engineering to the wrestling program in Gene’s memory.
(Sons Shane Goettl and Mick Rasmussen are not pictured; both are
currently serving in the military.)
