2017 Beef Days Celebrity Grand Marshal

Solon Wrestling Coach Blake Williams is this year’s Solon Beef Days Celebrity Grand Marshal.  Thank you, Coach Williams, for bringing hometown pride to the Solon Community!

Growing up:

Blake grew up in Decorah, Iowa and attended Wartburg College where he was All-American and a member of the National Championship Wrestling team at Wartburg.

Family:   

Blake and wife, Emy, have 2 children, Ashlyn – 11 and Teague – 9.  Emy teaches 3rd grade at Solon Lakeview Elementary and is the head coach for Solon Cross Country.                                                                 

Career highlights:

  • 350 career dual wins
  • 11 State Duals appearances
  • 9 top 5 finishes in State
  • 2017 State Wrestling Champions
  • 2017 State Dual Runner-up
  • 2006 & 2017 Iowa Wrestling Coach of the Year

Blake’s comments on his impact as a coach:

“The ultimate highlights are helping young men set goals and guiding them to achieve these goals through hard work and commitment.  The best honor is when I see former athletes I coached go on to be successful in their profession, as husbands, fathers, and community members.  My hope is that I had a small influence on them and that the lessons they learned from wrestling has carried over into the rest of their lives.”

Favorite Beef Days traditions:    

Blake’s favorite Beef Days traditions include working the Bags Tourney on Saturday following the parade, and he enjoys visiting with many past students and athletes during Beef Days.