Former West Holmes coach Jeff Woods inducted into National Wrestling Hall of Fame Ohio Chapter

Former West Holmes wrestling head coach Jeff Woods was inducted Oct. 12 into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Ohio Chapter, receiving the Lifetime of Service Award in ceremonies held in Columbus.

The Lifetime of Service Award is given in recognition of years of dedication to the development of leadership and citizenship in the youth through the sport of wrestling, according to the NWHoF website.

In his 26 seasons as the Knights mat boss (1992-2017), Woods compiled a dual meet record of 145-51-1 for a .714% winning percentage, the best in West Holmes wrestling program history.

Woods, during his tenure, qualified 67 wrestlers to the Ohio High School Athletic Association state tournament, had 17 of those wrestlers earn top eight All-Ohio podium finishes, and coached Colt Sponseller (2005, 2006, 2007) and Tyler Hawkins (2008) to state championships.

Woods also coached Samantha "Sammi" Collett-Weaver to four girls state championships (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002) and four girls national championship podium finishes (ninth in 1999, fourth in 2000 and 2001, third in 2002); Tessa Baker-Miller to a girls state championship in 2012 and a third-place finish in 2011; and Irene Hummel-Burgett to a third-place finish in 1999.

“Oh, what has my wife done?” Woods said when asked to react to his induction.

His wife Renee let the world know of his honor on social media, prefacing her post with: “Jeff would NEVER post this — he didn’t even tell anyone except our kids and Greg (brother) about it.”

In response to the myriad congratulatory responses he received via social media, Woods said, “I cannot begin to tell you how humbling it is to see so many responses. Thank you to everyone that liked, commented or shared.”

In talking about the honor, Woods deflected all the praise, in typical Woods fashion, saying, “This award goes to all the coaches, wrestlers, parents, announcers, table workers and supporters of West Holmes wrestling. What I can say is it takes a village to raise a child and a community to make a good coach. Thank you again.”

Falling in love with the sport as a youngster, Woods, along with his younger brother Greg, talked their late father Homer into turning a barn in their hometown of Shreve into a wrestling room. The crude structure began to fill with area kids, growing into what became known as "The Barn."

A strong high school wrestling career at Triway High School resulted in Woods qualifying for the OHSAA state tournament, culminating with an All-Ohio fifth-place finish at 98 pounds in 1984. It was then off to Ashland College (now University), where Woods wrestled all four years for the Eagles. Following college graduation, Woods took a teaching and wrestling head coach position at Fostoria High School before coming to West Holmes for the 1991-92 school year.

Woods was joined at the NWHoF Ohio Chapter Induction Ceremony by his wife Renee, sons and daughters-in-law Cole and Carrie and Cody and Maiah, brother and longtime assistant coach Greg Woods, elementary Attack Team founder and longtime coach Randy Sponseller, former wrestlers Clint Sponseller and Colt Sponseller (current wrestling head coach at Ashland University), and former elementary assistant and middle school wrestling head coach Kevin Vaughn.