Class of 2025

Pat wrestled for legendary coach Steve Jackowski at South Jefferson Central School. Coach Jackowski is a member of both the Section 3 and National Hall of Fame. He was Pats role model for working hard for your goals without compromising your integrity. Pat had planned to be a wrestling coach, but life circumstances took him in a different direction.

In early 1975, Pat attended the Frontier League Tournament and was disappointed with some of the officiating. He decided that he was ready to become an official. That fall, he joined the Watertown Wrestling Officials Association (WWOA). He loved it right from the beginning. He got tested in the first month of his career by having to officiate a hotly contested Varsity match after having done the JV match, when the assigned Varsity ref didnt show up. Thankfully, things went well, and he was hooked. He became a full-time Varsity official at the beginning of his second year, which lasted until he retired from active officiating in 2010, after a 35-year career.

Pat almost immediately got recruited into a leadership role in the WWOA. In his first year, he became secretary/treasurer, then vice-president, then president in his third year. That same year, he led a committee to update the WWOAs by-laws and constitution, which had not been done since its founding in 1957. In 2008, he assisted in updating them again. He continued to serve in leadership positions for the WWOA throughout his 35 active years, and in a supporting role for many years afterward. All told, he served 22 years as president, 24 years as rules interpreter/trainer, 2 years as vice-president, 4 years as secretary/treasurer, and 3 years as assignor. Certainly, there were several years in which he served multiple roles. From the beginning, Pat also felt he had an obligation to serve as a mentor and advisor to younger and/or lesser experienced officials. That has continued throughout his active and non-active careers. He still offers his suggestions frequently and welcomes questions at any time, which he receives frequently, both in person and on the phone.

Pat has had the privilege to officiate a vast multitude of dual meets. In addition, he has refereed 30 Frontier League tournaments, 27 Class tournaments, 23 Section 3 Finals, and 3 New York State Championships. (All 3 of those included ALL schools in NYS, before Div. 1 and Div. 2 were split apart. Each time, he was one of only 12 officials that were selected for the 2-day, all-inclusive tournament.) Additionally, he was selected 3 times to be an Evaluator of Officials at the NYS Tournament. He officiated several of SUNY Potsdams home matches from 1986-1988. For over 10 years, he volunteered to officiate numerous pee-wee tournaments. He also officiated at the first-ever Thousand Islands Dual Tournament, which is held in Clayton each summer.

Pat has not limited his involvement in promoting wrestling to just officiating. Some of his initiatives are as follows:

* He was instrumental in creating and implementing the annual Frontier League Wrestling Banquet. This event honors all Frontier League champions and those wrestlers from the Frontier League who won post-season tournaments that year. It gives the coaches an opportunity to speak about those champions, and then also recognize (and encourage) their other wrestlers who were big contributors to their team.
* He started a rating card system in which coaches could rate officials (after each dual meet) in a variety of different categories, and he encouraged the coaches to provide comments that detailed each refs strengths and weaknesses. The cards were used to assist in post-season selection for tournaments and as training tools.
* He began a program to have a meeting with league coaches at the beginning of the season to go over rules interpretations and encourage open communication throughout the season.
* He developed a written Officials Training Program to ensure consistency and competency among all WWOA officials.
* He and fellow officers of the Syracuse and Utica Officials Associations met/talked on a regular basis to guarantee mutual understanding and consistent application of the rules in all 3 associations.

While certainly not his primary goal, Pat has received a few awards over the years, in addition to his selection for many post-season tournaments. In 1986, he received a Meritorious Service Award from Section 3 for outstanding support to Interscholastic Athletics. In 2012, he received a plaque for Meritorious Service for significant contribution to the Frontier League. That same year, he was presented with a lifetime pass to all Frontier League events, for any sport. In 2013, he was awarded a lifetime Honorary Member plaque and jacket from the WWOA. And in 2025, he feels honored to be inducted into the Section 3 Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Outside of wrestling, Pat has lived a blessed life. He earned his Bachelor of Science in business management and economics. He retired from National Grid as lead key accounts manager after 32 years. Pat and Ann have been happily married for 47 years. They spend as much time as they can with their 2 cherished children and 2 precious grandchildren. Their other hobbies are hiking, camping and kayaking. Pat is a Deacon and oversees many programs in his church. He trained for 30 years in Taekwondo and achieved a 6th degree black belt and was promoted to master instructor. Over the years, he has and continues to serve on multiple boards of directors for community and non-profit organizations.

Pat feels that the sport of wrestling prepared him to always do his best, treat people fairly, and give back to his community! And because of his faith, he gives all glory to God.