Hall of Fame
A two-time All-American and RMAC champion who finished as the national runner-up at the 1973 College Division Wrestling Tournament was one of four individual inductees during the 16th Annual Mountaineer Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Oct. 8 at the Fred Field Western Heritage Center in Gunnison.
“Greg Maestas has numerous accolades and great numbers when it comes to wrestling, but the true impact that Greg has made its making wrestling welcoming to everyone,” wrote Grandview High School Athletic Director Jon Hoerl in his nomination letter. “Coach Maestas has built his strong programs by making an impact with youth wrestling.”
Greg was a two-time Skyline League Champion and finished third at the 1967 state championships at Adams City High School in Commerce City, Colo. He graduated in 1969 and enrolled at Trinidad State Junior College and San Jose City College before making his way to Western State in 1971.
“My dad recruited Greg, and believed Greg would leave his mark on WSC wrestling,” said Candi Borah in her nomination letter. “That he did!”
In his first season in Gunnison, Greg finished fifth at the College Division championships at 134 pounds and won the RMAC championship.
The following season, Greg was named the RMAC Co-MVP of the year after he repeated as conference champion. He won one of the final Mountain Intercollegiate Wrestling Association championship and finished second to Larry Morgan of Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo in the College Division national championships. His performance qualified him for the University Division tournament as the No. 5 seed and we wrapped up his final season with a 31 wins and three losses.
Greg remained at Western State after his eligibility ran out to finish his bachelor’s degree and assisted Tracy Borah and Marv Allen before he graduated in 1976. Greg helped coach five All-Americans during his three seasons and even took part in a freestyle match with regional wrestlers against the Korean Freestyle Team.
Greg moved straight into teaching and coaching at North High School in Phoenix, Ariz., in 1976. He completed his master’s degree from Western State in 1980 while he went from North High School to Overland High School in Aurora to start an 18-year coaching career with the Blazers.
At Overland, Greg was instrumental in developing and forming a scholastic division of the National Wrestling Coaches Association and served as the division’s president from 1995-99. He helped secure representatives from the scholastic division on the NWCA Board of Directors and helped develop a weight certification program for wrestlers. Since 1999, the scholastic division membership has grown from 1,300 to 10,000 in 2010.
“Greg is a tremendous ambassador for wrestling and has committed over 50 years toward the betterment of our sport,” wrote NWCA Executive Director Michael Moyer. “He is honest, dedicated, competent, and incredible unselfish with his effort to promote wrestling.”
In 1999, Greg became the head coach at Grandview High School, where he continues to coach and teach. Since he started coaching in 1976, he’s coached his teams to 15 league or regional championships, 10 top five state tournament finishes, 191 state qualifiers, 83 state placers, 13 state champions, nine high school All-Americans and two high school national champions.
Greg was the 1996 Overland High School Teacher of the Year, the 1988 and 1997 Colorado High School Wrestling Coach of the Year and since 1988 has served as director of the Colorado High School Coaches Association Clinic.
“Greg was not just a gifted wrestler but is also a gifted coach,” wrote Grandview High School Assistant Coach Scott Conant. “He has spent a lifetime working to improve the sport of wrestling and at the same time help to develop the young men that he works with into outstanding members of our society.”
