Bill Stout
Inducted in 2009

Peninsula HS 1978-1992

Bill Stout began his career as a wrestling coach as an assistant at Peninsula High School in 1978. The following year he became the school’s head wrestling coach and for the next decade, through his coaching and fund raising, he built Peninsula wrestling into one of the most respected programs in the state.

In the first year as head coach his program he had fewer than twenty-five wrestlers on the mat and in many matches his varsity was unable to beat other school’s junior varsity. At the end of his tenure as head coach, Bill’s wrestlers had won ten league, six district, and four regional titles along with the 1987 state team title. It was not unusual at the end of Bill’s career at Peninsula for over sixty students to turn out for the wrestling team.

In addition to building a state high school wrestling power Bill also lent his skills and energy to other endeavors in the local and state wrestling world. He began an AAU wrestling program on the Gig Harbor peninsula and developed the fund raisers that supported the program while he was the director for several years. In the 1980’s Bill was the coach for two wrestling exchange teams, taking groups of Washington wrestlers to Germany and Australia. Bill’s professionalism and dedication to his sport raised wrestling in the Peninsula School District to a high level that continues today.

Bill left Peninsula for a teaching position at Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma. He passed away in January of 2003. He is survived by his wife Mary and children Jacqui, Lauren, Allison and Charles.

Nominated in by Cris Turner, former head wrestling coach Peninsula HS and Tom Reardon, former
Peninsula HS assistant coach. Tom Reardon will be accepting the award on behalf of the Stout family.