On Saturday, Nov. 5, Puyallup School District (PSD) Coach and Educator Tom Tripple was inducted into the Washington State Wrestling Coaches Association (WSWCA) Hall of Fame in Yakima.

Tripple launched his wrestling coaching career with PSD 48 years ago, spanning through four different schools:

• - Aylen Junior High (AJH)
• - Edgemont Junior High
• - Puyallup High School (PHS)
• - Rogers High School (RHS)

Since then, Tripple has helped guide PSD wrestlers to numerous accolades:

• - Two league titles at AJH
• - RHS Girls' Wrestling
  • - Seven-time league tournament champion
  • - Two-time regional champion
  • - Three top-ten finishes at the Mat Classic State Tournament
  • - Two-time 4A Team Academic State Champions
  • - 16 individual state medalists
  • - Four individual academic state champions
  • - Individual state champion (Kyah Williams in 2011)

L to R: Kimber Jackson, Austin O'Neal, Justin Rambow (RHS Boys Wrestling Head coach), Tom Tripple, Lucia Scott (RHS Girls Wrestling Head coach), David Johnston (retired 2022), Gene Bowen (current track coach, retired RHS Football Coach, was PHS head wrestling coach when Tripple was assistant), and Salisa Shannon.

Tripple's coaching accomplishments include:

• - 2008 National Wrestling Coaching Association Region Assistant of the Year
• - Four-time South Puget Sound League (SPSL) Boys' Assistant Coach of the Year
• - Five-time SPSL Girls' Head Coach of the Year
• - Three-time regional coach of the year
• - 2017 WSWCA State Girls' Coach of the Year

Tripple says he is honored to have his name enshrined with the most legendary wrestling coaches in Washington state. 

"It's an honor to be recognized for something that I love doing for most of my life," Tripple said. "There have been so many coaches that have impacted me throughout the years."

Also, Tripple mentioned at the end of the day, it was about the students.

"It's more than wrestling," Tripple said. "I was a counselor for 22 years, and prior, I was a teacher for 21, so I hope what I did in the classroom, as well as on the mat, has made an impact on their lives. They have probably had as much—if not more—of an impact on my life."

Tripple became the fourth PSD Wrestling Coach to be inducted WSWCA Hall of Fame, joining:

• - Ray Barnes (PHS) - Class of 1986
• - George Wilfong (PHS) - Class of 1997
• - Jim Meyerhoff (Emerald Ridge High School) - Class of 2018