Rusty Davidson of Grants, N.M. was named USA Wrestling Official of the Year. This award is presented annually to an outstanding official within USA Wrestling for achievements and service to the sport.
Davidson has been officiating for 28 years and has been a referee on the international level for 24 years. He has a FILA 1 ranking.
He has worked as an official at the World Championships for every level, working the World meet for Cadet Men, Junior Men, Junior Women and Senior Women athletes. He has been to 38 different countries as either a referee or a coach.
Among the other events has worked has been Pan American Games and the Pan American Championships. He was also an official at the World Wrestling Games (where he was a referee for Beach Wrestling and Grappling).
Davidson has officiated at every Junior Nationals since 1982, every Senior Nationals since 1984, and every Cadet Nationals ever held. In addition, he has been an official at the Kids National Championships. He has served as head official at a number of USA Wrestling national and regional level events.
He is currently the officials director for New Mexico USA Wrestling, and previously served in that position earlier in his career. Davidson also serves as a member of the USWOA Board.
He received the Glen Blackman Award from the USWOA in 1989. Davidson was also the recipient of the Andy McWilliams Award in 1985 recognizing volunteer leadership in the Rocky Mountain states.
Davidson served as State Chairperson for New Mexico USA Wrestling for 18 years. He was a high school wrestling coach in New Mexico for 15 years.
He has had numerous coaching assignments with U.S. teams in both men’s and women’s wrestling. Davidson also served as a team leader for a number of other international tours.
Davidson was head coach of the first U.S. Women’s World Team in 1989. He was the coach of the first U.S. Women’s World champion in 1992, when Tricia Saunders won her first World title at the World Championships in France. He was the 2003 Women’s Junior World Team coach, when Ali Bernard won a Junior World title. Davidson coached the women’s 2002 Pan American Championships team which won seven medals.
“To be appreciated by your peers in an all-volunteer organization is the ultimate,” said Davidson. “There aren’t any tangible rewards for doing this. When your peers give you a compliment, you take it to heart. “
“When there are so many others who sacrifice their money and their time for the sport, you really you might be crazy, but you are not alone. Everybody in this has the same level of passion for the sport,” said Davidson.
Official of the Year Award
1971 - Vince Zuaro, New York
1972 - Wes Hogland, Oregon
1973 - Dennis Fankhouser
1974 - Pat Lovell, California
1975 - Pat Lovell, California
1976 - Sam Williams. New York
1977 - Mick Pickford, Iowa
1978 - Charlie White, Colorado
1979 - Jon Schaus, Illinois
1980 - Don Sondgeroth, Colorado
1981 - Steve Bernhardt, Virginia
1982 - Gordon Weeks, Michigan
1983 - Bernie Norris, Illinois
1984 - Leroy Evans, California
1985 - Carolyn White, Colorado
1986 - Tony Melosci, New York
1987 - Santos Cageao, Ohio
1988 - Bob Dellinger, Oklahoma
1989 - Chuck Almeida, Florida
1990 - Eric Kopsch, Michigan
1991 - Sue Siar, Pennsylvania
1992 - Rick Tucci, Florida
1993 - Bill Stecklein, Pennsylvania
1994 - Jack Bowman, Indiana
1995 - Bob Siar, Sr., Pennsylvania
1996 - David Errett, Indiana
1997 - Chris Curtis, New Jersey
1998 - Tom Clark, Indiana
1999 - Mort Geller, Florida
2000 - Mike Hess, Washington
2001 - Tom Siar, Pennsylvania
2002 - Jan Hesser, Indiana
2003 - Douglas Molin, Indiana
2004 – John Branch, California
2005 – John Heyman, Florida
2006 – Jerry Kuntz, Oklahoma
2007 – Bill Hinchley, Minnesota
2008 – Toby Tobiasson, Utah
2009 – Rusty Davidson, New Mexico
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