Cary coach wins national honor

Jerry Winterton of Cary is the National Wrestling Coaches Association National Coach of the Year.

Winterton has 36 years of coaching experience and 608 wins. He has coach 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 20 N.C. High School Athletic Association individual tea championships, including the last five.

"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," Winterton said in a NWCA release.

"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 five to six 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 a physical education teacher at Cary.

"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.

"Our goal as a coaches association is to continue to recognize coaches for their accomplishments along with promoting the areas of coaching education that are essential to a successful program."