Cary High School Wrestling

Jerry Winterton

2008-09 NWCA “Coach of the Year” and 2007-08 NHSCA “Coach of the Year”

Coach Jerry Winterton’s wrestling career started in 1961 as a fifth grader in a small town about 35 miles outside of Syracuse, NY on the advice of his older brother Jim. (Jim Winterton is presently in the National Hall of Fame in Houston, Texas for the sport of Racquetball, having coached the USA Racquetball team for over 10 years).
This 10 year old was not a star or a natural, but soon understood that wrestling was a sport he could compete in if he was willing to handle the anguish the daily beatings and setbacks. Soon after these elementary intramural programs Jerry was starting as a 9th grader in the smallest of weight classes, 95 lbs for Rod Little and Ed Patrica’s VVS High School a team in central New York. The wrestling that he was exposed to in these high school years and under coaches Bob Guzzo (at a junior college on the Canadian border) and Don Murray at Brockport State also in New York laid the foundation of the philosophies and skills to be passed on later.
After college Jerry would teach and coach at his former high school with Rod Little and then was fortunate to land a position as a assistant coach with the Wolfpack of North Carolina State University. Bob Guzzo, who had coached Jerry in NY, was a new coach at the school and building what would soon be one of the best programs on the East Coast.
Although Jerry had planned to return to New York and coach in college he continued his career at the high school level and after a few years at a nearby school began a long coaching stint at Cary High School where he is presently in his 25th season.
Some of Jerry’s accomplishments include, 20 State championships, 27 consecutive district titles, 17 consecutive regional titles, and a overall career record which sits at 608-33 at this time. His 159 individual tournament titles is the most in the nation all-time for high school coaches as acknowledged by Wrestling USA magazine. Another accomplishment is the National Runner-Up for Wrestling USA’s Coach of the year that occurred in 1987.
Jerry was recently elected to the State Chapter of “The National Hall of Fame” located in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Coach Winterton credits his success to his experiences on a dairy farm as a youngster.. Jerry’s parents, Margaret and Stewart raised four boys, Jim, Joe, Jerry, Jack and one girl Kathy on this farm all of whom would graduate from college and be leaders in their respective fields. Jerry also credits a strong coaching staff with Nathanial Scott, Randy Scussel, and former assistant club coach of the year (USA Wrestling Magazine) Stan Chambers being some past assistants. Present assistants Nick Ivkovich, Matt Warden, Tom Berry are also praised for the success of the Cary Wrestling Program, which was ranked in the top five in the southeast and won both State Championships in 2007, 2008, and 2009.

When asked about career highlights Jerry is quick to point to his eldest son Logan who won a State Championship with his dad in the corner in 2004. Logan wrestled at Appalachian State University and is now serving his country as a United States Marine. Daughter Amber was a varsity 3-sport athlete at Cary High School and now attends NC State, while the youngest of Jerry’s children, Ronnie, is a rising senior, team captain, and returning state qualifier for the Imps.

Coach Winterton at Cary High School 1981-2008

• State Individual Tournament Champions 87,88,89,97,00,03,05,06,07,08,09
• State Dual Team Champions 93,96,97,98,05,07,08,09
• State Individual Tournament Runner-Ups 94,96,98,99,04
• State Dual Team Runner-Ups 91,01,02,03,04,06
• 20 State Championships, 11 Runner-Up Finishes all totaled
• Cary Dual Meet Record- Regular Season 514-3
• Cary Playoffs Record 77-12
• Overall Record at Cary 586-15
• Career Record (Cary and East Wake H.S.) 608-33
• 26 of 28 Undefeated Dual Meet Regular Seasons
• 159 Tournament Wins Ranks 1st Nationally for HS coaches
• 17 Consecutive Regional Titles (16 total) 1993-2009
• 27 Consecutive Conference Titles 1983-2009 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in Individual State Tourney 18 of 28 years
• 1st or 2nd in State Dual Team Tourney 14 of 20 years
• Most Total Wins in State Duals-77
• Best Winning Percentage in State Duals- .865
• 118 Consecutive Wins in Top Ten all-time (1982-1990)
• 115 Consecutive Wins at home (1982-1994)
• 74 Consecutive Wins (1995-1999)
• 214 Consecutive Regular Season Wins at home (1982-2009) (ACTIVE STREAK)
• 8 Coach of the Year Awards- The Mat News
• National Runner-Up Coach of the year 1987-Wrestling USA
• Coach of The National “Dream Team”, Williamstown, NJ 06′
• Selected to the State Chapter of The National Hall of Fame  Located in Stillwater, Oklahoma on May 16, 2004.
• Selected as the 2007 National Coach of The Year-NHSCA

Congrats to Coach W! NWCA Coach of the Year!!

Another great honor for Coach Winterton, Imp fans!  Article below:

2009 NWCA National Scholastic Award Recipients May  8, 2009By Tammy Tedesco Manheim, Pa. – The National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholastic Board of Directors is proud to announce the 2009 Scholastic Awards.  The four award categories are:  National Coach of the Year, National Assistant Coach of the Year, National Wrestler of the Year, and National Prep Coach of the Year. This year’s nominees for National Coach, National Prep Coach and National Assistant Coach of the year bring a combined total of 101 years of coaching experience to the mat. They have coached numerous state champions and hold impressive records in their respective states.  Jerry Winterton of Cary, NC has been selected as the NWCA National Coach of the Year. Winterton is an accomplished coach with 36 years of coaching experience, and a career record of 608 wins and multiple state titles along with 48 individual state champions. He is a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame North Carolina Chapter, Class of 2004. Cary High School has won the last five State Individual Championships which brings their total to twenty. Winterton has coached for the last nineteen individual championships.“I have been blessed to have this happen to me. I would like to thank the NWCA for recognizing me for this award, I greatly appreciate it. I am absolutely thrilled,” said Winterton.“I am also very fortunate to have the support of my family, my assistant coaches, my principal Mr. Doug Thilman and Kurt Glendenning my Athletic Director as I know Cary High School is the best place to coach or be a student/athlete.   I’m also thankful for all the great wrestlers who have come through our program over the years especially the stars we’ve had in the last 5-6 years who have gone on to do such great things in National competitions as well as continuing with their education and wrestling in college.”Winterton is also a Physical Education Teacher at Cary High School. “Coach Winterton is a great example of the type of person that the NWCA continues to recognize. Not only is he an educator, but he has devoted his years in this sport to molding the next generation in the sport of wrestling. His longevity and accomplishments as a high school coach are remarkable,” said Mike Moyer, NWCA Executive Director.