Class of 2015

I loved all the kids, every one, said Herm Wyld when informed that hed been inducted into the Section 2 Wrestling Hall of Fame. In addition to a successful tenure on the competitive wrestling mats he provided a positive role model for all his student-athletes as they progressed towards their futures.

Herman Wyld was born December 14, 1932 in Albany, NY. He was a football standout at the old Vincentian Institute in Albany. He served two years in the United States Army during the Korean War. Afterwards, he attended and graduated from Cortland State where he was again a football standout participating in the East-West All-Star Game. With a Bachelors degree from Cortland he began his career as an educator in the Guilderland Central School District. Later, he received a Masters degree in secondary education at SUNY Albany.

At Guilderland, he was the line coach under football Hall of Fame Coach Bud Kenyon. In the winter, he led the wrestling program from its inception in 1960-61 until 1980-81. Without personal experience as a wrestler, Coach Wyld embarked on a journey to learn the sport with great passion taking in coaching clinics and camps with his assistant coaches. In just four years, his team won its first Suburban Council title in 1965 and by decades end he put together a top team in all of Section 2. Collectively, his teams won four Suburban Council titles and Section 2 titles in 1970, 71, 72 and tied with Burnt Hills in 1979. The 1979 team also finished third in New York State with four Sectional Champions, which resulted in a sixth place finisher, a runner-up and in the final bout of the entire tournament his son, Tom, became State Champion. In total, he coached 15 individual Section 2 champions and won a total of 149 dual meets.

He designed the Wyld System, an algorithm for seeding at the sectional level which was used in Section 2 from 1972-2000 and in other sections around the state.

However, it was the paternal demeanor in which he taught and mentored that will be most lasting. Every kid at every level was equally important. He mentored older kids teaching the younger ones. Coach Wyld did his best to fill the niche every individual needed in order to achieve on the wrestling mats and all aspects of life. He had an innate sense to provide support when it was needed most. He led, and guided, and taught, and coaxed, and loved.

Coach Herm Wyld passed away on July 7, 2015. He is survived by his wife, Alice, of 58 years, his sons Richard and Tom, his daughter Kathleen, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and hundreds of students and colleagues whose lives he touched. He loved all the kids, every one.