[Stardust]

HEBRON — After 42 years of leading Conner High School’s wrestling program, Wayne Badida is still going strong.

The legendary coach was inducted in the Kentucky High School Wrestling Hall of Fame on Feb. 18 at the state wrestling championships in Lexington. Badida was one of two inductees in the class of 2012.

This year’s tournament was his 42nd state tournament in Kentucky. Badida got his start teaching and coaching in Ohio in 1967 and has been leading Conner’s wrestling program since its inception in 1970.

“I think it’s a lot of fun, and I still enjoy it,” he said. “When it becomes a job and I dread going to practice, I’ll hang it up. Right now, it’s just too much fun.”

Badida has coached 19 individual state champions and led Conner to the team title in 1983. That year, he was recognized as the coach of the year in Kentucky. He coached his son Johnny to top 10 state finishes in 1985 and 1986 and now coaches his grandson, Tristin. The eighth-grader qualified for state last year and was an alternate this year.

“I’m just another coach in the state. I’ve just happened to be here for a long time,” Badida said. “I’m not special. The Conner wrestlers are special.”

Badida has coached football, track and baseball in addition to wrestling. He was a coach of Conner’s state championship football team in 1983, but gave it up after the following season in order to spend more time with his family. He has coached nothing but wrestling since 1985. Over that time, he has seen the sport grow across the state in both numbers and in quality.

“I think it’s changed quite a bit. You still have basically the same technique, but I think there’s more parity across the state,” Badida said. “There are a lot more good wrestlers today than there were 42 years ago. There’s an awful lot of good teams and good wrestlers across the state.”

In 2005, Badida was inducted into his high school’s wrestling hall of fame. He was co-captain and Most Valuable Wrestler at Northwest High School in Canal Fulton, Ohio, graduating in 1963.

His appreciation for and dedication to the sport has not changed much over the past 50 years. His coaching style has changed slightly, but he still brings out the best in each of his wrestlers.

“I’m still demanding. I’m from the old school. I’m not afraid to get on somebody and I can be loud and to the point,” Badida said.

“I’m still like that, but not as much, because the kids have changed. They don’t like to be yelled at.”http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...303100089/

[Stardust]

[Image: http://cmsimg.nky.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bil...a-made-mat]Wayne Badida, Conner High School wrestling coach, in the team's practice area at the Hebron school in 2011. / The Enquirer/Patrick Reddy

[Stardust]

[Image: http://cmsimg.nky.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bil...0&Border=0]