Remembering trailblazing athlete, official, Mike Allen
Photo: Mike Allen (right) pictured with Tym Cysewski.
By Mike Chapman
One of the most interesting and respected figures in recent wrestling history has passed from the scene. Mike Allen died on February 28 in Waverly, Iowa, at the age of 74, and he will be greatly missed by wrestling fans who enjoyed watching him in action all across the nation.
He was an official par excellence, and also a trailblazer on many levels.
Mike graduated from East High School in Waterloo, Iowa, in 1967 (six years after me), and became a standout wrestler and football player at Ellsworth Junior College and the University of Northern Iowa. He then embarked upon a long and highly successful career in education. He was a coach, teacher, athletic director, assistant principal and principal. During a brief coaching career, he led five athletes from Central High School in Waterloo to state titles within a span of eight years.
But Mike was best known as a wrestling official. He worked 23 NCAA Championships and was the first official to work all three NCAA division tournaments, the NAIA tourney and the national junior college event all in the same year! He also refereed at the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-10 events, and served as the wrestling commissioner for the Big Ten and Mid-American Conference (MAC).
He was the first African-American to officiate at the Iowa high school state tournament and at the NCAA tournament.
Tall, lean and muscular, he was an imposing figure on the mat, and a dashing figure off the mat. He had a passion for bright and colorful suits and sport coats, and was the center of attention on many occasions, often flashing a big friendly smile and offering a firm handshake.
Two of my best friends, both highly respected (now retired) coaches, have great respect for him.
“Mike Allen was one of the best officials in our sport for years,” said Mark Johnson. “He was a good leader of officials. He commanded respect and he gave respect.”
Johnson, a two-time All-American at Michigan and 1980 Olympian, had plenty of opportunities to see Allen work, being an assistant at Iowa from 1982-1990 and then head coach at Illinois for 17 years. When Mark retired in 2009, he stood as the winningest wrestling coach in U. of Illinois history with a record of 203-44-3, while winning two Big Ten team titles.
Jim Duschen graduated from East High in 1962 and was an All-American at Iowa State before he became a hall of fame high school coach in Henderson, Nevada.
“What I remember most about Mike Allen is that he was very consistent in his calls,” said Duschen. “He had command of the match and the wrestlers, and he called everything the same. All the coaches I know had great respect for him.”
“Mike was known for his exceptional knowledge of wrestling techniques and rules throughout his career,” stated Bill Roths, supervisor of wrestling officials in Iowa high schools. “Athletes and coaches trusted his judgment, knowing that he possessed a keen eye for identifying infractions and a firm grasp of the sport’s nuances. His calm demeanor, coupled with his ability to make split-second decisions, made him a respected figure in the wrestling community.”
Allen has been inducted into many halls of fame: East High School Hall of Fame, Ellsworth Football Hall of Fame, Midlands Hall of Fame, Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame, Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame, FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame, Iowa Wrestling Officials Hall of Fame, Iowa African-American Hall of Fame, Iowa Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Meritorious Official.
“Mike was a true pioneer in the wrestling community — a national trailblazer as a referee, a tireless advocate for young athletes, and a dedicated educator,” said Lee Roy Smith, executive director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “His impact on the sport extended far beyond the mat. His passion, leadership, and commitment to wrestling’s future will be deeply missed, but his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.”
I am honored to have known Mike Allen and to have come from the same city and high school.
(Chapman is the founder of WIN.)
