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Pat Smith

Coach

Smith made wrestling history when he became the first wrestler to win four NCAA Division I individual national championships. Competing for Oklahoma State University, he earned NCAA titles in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1994. He was a member of Oklahoma State teams that won the NCAA team titles in 1990 and 1994.

When Smith won the NCAA title as a freshman, he joined his older brothers Lee Roy and John as anNCAA titlist, making it the first time that three brothers had won NCAA Division I wrestling titles. During his career, Smith won four Big 12 Conference titles, only the third wrestler in Oklahoma State history to win four conference crowns.

He ended his college wrestling career with a 121-5-2 record. He set the Oklahoma State wrestling record for consecutive matches without a loss with 98 straight. He ranks fourth in winning percentage (.953), fourth in career falls (46) and sixth in victories (121) in the storied history of Oklahoma State wrestling.

Smith has received numerous major awards during his career. He was named the 1994 Amateur Wrestling News Man of the Year. Smith was also one of just 15 athletes who were named to the 75th NCAA Anniversary Wrestling Team. He was inducted into the Oklahoma State Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.

He also had a successful freestyle wrestling career, which included taking second place to three-time Olympian Kenny Monday at the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Spokane, Wash. He won gold medals at two U.S. Olympic Festivals. Smith was second in the 1995 U.S. Nationals, and was a six-time All-American at the U.S. Nationals. He won a bronze medal at the 1997 World Cup. He also won USA Wrestling age-group national titles on the Espoir and Junior levels.

He has served as an assistant wrestling coach at Oklahoma State Univ. for 10 years. He has helped build the Cowboys into one of the nation’s best programs, working with head coach John Smith. He has worked with the middle weight wrestlers on the Cowboy team, and has personally coached six wrestlers to individual or multiple NCAA titles. Oklahoma State has won the NCAA Division I team title the last three years with Smith serving as one of the coaches (2003-2005).

Smith won three Oklahoma state high school titles for Del City High School (1987-89), and was twice named Outstanding Wrestler. A member of one of the nation’s top wrestling families, four Smith brothers were NCAA All-Americans for Oklahoma State (Lee Roy, John, Pat, Mark) and all four were state high school champions.

Bruce Dickey

Coach

Hall of Fame College Wrestling Coach, Bruce Dickey, to Join Bluebird Staff
Bruce Dickey who coached Coach Hatcher when he was in college at Alma College has joined the Mighty Bluebird Wrestling Staff after his move to Arkansas. Dickey coached Alma College to three straight Conference Championships and had Alma College ranked in the top 20 his last three years. Although Alma College was a Division III school they consistently wrestled Division I teams and held their own. He will be a great addition to the staff.

Coach Bruce Dickey has extensive experience both as a player and as a coach at all levels of education. He has two Masters Degrees in Physical Education and Sport as well as a Masters Degree in Educational Administration, and he has taught all levels of the educational spectrum: elementary, middle school, high school and college. He has also been an Athletic Director and Assistant Principal.

As the Head Wrestling Coach at Alma College Coach Dickey turned around a team that was last in the conference to 3 time consecutive Conference Champions. These teams were ranked in the top 20 in the nation and all inducted into the Alma College Hall of Fame as well as Coach Dickey. Bruce Dickey also has extensive experience at the collegiate level as well. He has successfully coached Soccer, Football, Wrestling, and Baseball at Alma College. Coach Bruce Dickey has run sports camps all over the country for over 30 years, working with all age groups. He is known as a "Master" teacher, he has endless enthusiasm, and he has a tremendous amount of ability to motivate his student-athletes to pursue excellence.

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Greg Hatcher

Coach

Greg Hatcher's wrestling career started at Albion High School where he graduated in 1979. While at Albion High School Hatcher was the Captain of the wrestling team and was named the Most Valuable Wrestler his senior year. Hatcher then attended Alma College in Alma, Michigan where he wrestled four years and was named a First Team All MIAA Wrestler at 158 pounds and served as a Captain for the Alma College Wrestling Team. The Scots wrestling team won three consecutive MIAA Titles during Hatcher's sophomore through senior years and were ranked in the Top 20 Nationwide in Division III wrestling. The last three years of Hatcher's career Alma College did not lose a wrestling match and all three of those wrestling teams were inducted into the Alma College Hall of Fame. While at Alma Hatcher also lettered in soccer and baseball making him the last athlete at Alma College to play 3 varsity sports for all four years. Hatcher was inducted into the Alma College Hall of Fame in 2007 and joins 3 of his wrestling teams and 2 of his baseball teams also in the Alma College Hall of Fame.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Kel Denker

Coach

Wrestling was a family affair, as Kel's father coached at Central Missouri State University from the late 60's to 1980, and he and his brother participated in all the kid's wrestling programs at a very young age. His brother was Missouri State Champion in 1979. From 1980-84 Kel competed as a Tiger at Warrensburg High School, where he placed 6th in the state as a junior and 3rd as a senior. After two years of wrestling for Central Missouri State University, injuries sent him into officiating. With his MSHAA officials license in 1985-90 he officiated many high school duals, tournaments, and several kids' state wrestling tournaments. Since 1990, he has been working for Eli Lilly and Company in many different positions taking him to many different states. Now that wrestling is starting in Arkansas, he has been able to get back into a sport that he loves by officiating. The thing he finds most exciting about being a part of wrestling as it starts in Arkansas is watching kids take a chance at competing in a sport that teaches life long lessons in determination, confidence, persistence, and self discipline. While officiating, the excitement of the crowd as they get behind these kids, takes Kel back 20+ years to great memories as a wrestler. He hopes to give his boys, Jace (13), Bryce (11), and Alex (9), some of the experiences he grew up with as he has recently volunteered to coach wrestling at Bryant High School should they decide to add wrestling as a high school sport.