When Nick Burgess was offered the position to be Pickerington High School’s first wrestling coach in 1974, he never expected to be a National Wrestling Hall of Fame member 50 years later.
After a nomination for Hall of Fame accolades a year prior, Burgess was astonished when he was selected among so many influential coaches.
Burgess retired in 2009 and has been reminiscing about his years of success as one of the greatest wrestling coaches in the state of Ohio. The MSL and OCC league titles that span his career demonstrate his passion for the sport, and the experience of coaching thousands of athletes over the years has earned him honorable recognition.
Posing alongside countless trophies and plaques surrounded by a handful of his former students is a memory that will remain with Burgess forever.
“Looking back, it’s freaking amazing!” Burgess says.
Humble beginnings
Before becoming a wrestling coach, Burgess participated in football and track at Canal Winchester High School. When he was in high school – from 1961-1965 – wrestling wasn’t a varsity sport, so his toughness manifested through other sports.
After graduating from Capitol University, Burgess started his first job at Strongsville City Schools in 1971. His job titles ranged from eighth-grade football, track and wrestling coach to biology and P.E. teacher.
Burgess coached and taught for Strongsville City Schools until he was
Photos courtesy of Nick Burgess
Burgess coaching
offered a position at Pickerington High School to start the wrestling program. He made a name for himself as the first head wrestling coach at Pickerington in 1974.
“And so I went in, set up an appointment … and before I left the meeting, I was hired to teach biology, life science and a subject called conservation. And I was selected as the head wrestling coach to start the program,” Burgess says.
Wrestling had been part of his college experience and he was drawn to the feeling of toughness the sport provided, so starting the Pickerington High School wrestling program seemed like destiny.
With a career lasting from 1974 to 2009, Burgess went on to coach some of the team’s most memorable victories. The 2002 wrestling season stands above the rest since his team won the most team points in Division I state wrestling.
“We had 64 and a half points and we ended up fifth and we were the best public school that year in the state of Ohio,” Burgess says.
Greatest of all time
Each season victory is a result of Burgess understanding his students as individuals. For him, coaching means identifying the physical attributes and personalities of each kid.
“I really concentrated on the average wrestler and really encouraged them because in the end, what I created was depth,” says Burgess. “If someone would get ringworm and have to sit out on me, or someone would get injured, I would have a second guy who was pretty close to being as good as the first guy.”
Photos courtesy of Nick Burgess
Nick Burgess
Nick Burgess ended his coaching career with 379 all-time wins, placing him seventh on Ohio High School Athletic Association’s rankings. Not only are his regular season figures impressive, but his teams also won 33 District Championships and were State Champions seven times.
Throughout his career, Burgess earned six Hall of Fame awards for division coaching before winning the 2023 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Lifetime Service Award.
Despite the impressive rankings, Burgess remains humble and shocked at times when thinking back on his career wins. His mantras, “try different things” and “keep what works out” kept him motivated to continuously work on his strategies.
During the regular season MSL championships at the beginning of his career, Burgess and his team earned third place the first year, as well as three first-place wins and one second-place in subsequent years.
In 1981, the team entered the OCC and took home a total of 151 individual wins between MSL and OCC championships throughout his career, with the help of Pickerington residents along the way.
“Many community members helped with the administration and timing, and scoring of the matches,” Burgess says.
Burgess-led groups earned 13 OCC and four MSL titles throughout his career as head coach.
“The title obviously was lifetime service wrestling so the first thing you’ve got to do is spend your whole lifetime doing it. And then you’ve got to be successful,” says Burgess.
Amber Phipps is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com .
Career accolades
1995, 2002 Division 1 Ohio Wrestling Coach of the Year
2000 Mid-State League Hall of Fame
2000 Medina Invitational Tournament Hall of Fame
2001 Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame
2014 Pickerington High School Central Hall of Fame
2023 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Lifetime Service Award
