Chris Feder, 73, active USA Wrestling and Maccabi USA leader, passed away Monday
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Top photo: Images of Chris Feder courtesy of Rob Prebish and Mike Kosoy.
Bottom photo: Photo of Mike Kosoy and Chris Feder, courtesy of Mike Kosoy.
USA Wrestling received sad news that wrestling leader Chris Feder, 73, of San Rafael, Calif. passed away on Monday.
Feder, active within USA Wrestling and Maccabi USA Wrestling for many years, made a tremendous impact on wrestling and on the lives of others as an athlete, coach, friend and a leader.
“He did a whole lot for a lot of people, asking for nothing in return,” said Mike Kosoy, now an assistant wrestling coach at Oregon State who was coached by Feder at the Maccabiah Games. “He should be recognized not only for what he did for the sport, but for what he did for the people around him. He brought a different energy to the room whenever he entered, something I may never see again. He was an extraordinary person.”
Feder served many years as a Board member with California USA Wrestling. He was most recently the club director of the Brawlers WC in San Rafael, Calif. He coached for 15 years at Terra Linda High School in California.
Feder travelled often to major USA Wrestling events nationally, coaching athletes and helping grow the sport. He was instrumental in bringing 24 Hour Fitness in as a national sponsor for USA Wrestling. He was also active with Beat the Streets programs. He worked many years in the fitness industry.
A program where he made a major impact was within Maccabi USA and its Maccabi USA Wrestling program, first as an athlete, then as a coach and a leader. He had a passion and vision to build a thriving community of Jewish wrestlers of all ages. He was instrumental in the first-ever International Wrestling Camp for Juniors held in Israel in 2019 and the establishment of the Annual Maccabi Senior National and Junior National Championships.
As an international wrestler, Chris won silver in both freestyle and Greco-Roman in 1969 at the 8th Maccabiah. He returned 20 years later for the 13th Games again, winning individual double silver medals along with team silver in Greco-Roman and team gold in freestyle. Chris coached the highly successful team at the 20th Maccabiah in 2017 and was serving as the Wrestling Chair for the 21st Games scheduled for July 2022.
“The wrestling community lost a great man: I first met Chris Feder in 1989 at the 13th World Maccabiah Games in Israel. I was the youngest member of the team and Chris was the oldest. I am grateful for our friendship that spanned almost 30 years. He also gave me one of the most incredible gifts ever: a return trip to Israel in 2017 to be his right hand man for the US wrestling team. Chris Feder has a very unique outlook on life and I am so happy I got to spend time and learn from him. He took great care of me and all of the American wrestlers. He was kind and gentle, but a pit bull when things needed to happen,” Rob Prebish, who coached alongside Feder at the 2017 Maccabiah Games, posted on Feder’s Facebook page.
A native of Long Island, N.Y., Chris competed for LIU-Post, then called C.W. Post. He placed second at the 1969 NCAA Div. II Championships, and went undefeated in dual-meet competition for the Pioneers. Feder won three Metropolitan Wrestling Conference championships.
He is a member of the California Wrestling Fall of Fame, and received their Lifetime Service Award in 2006. He was also a member of the LIU-Post Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 2007.
Information on funeral arrangements are currently not available.
Maccabi USA will be establishing a memorial fund to honor his memory and support the many ongoing wrestling initiatives that are his legacy. Contributions can be made at: https://bit.ly/2Y4DgUT Please indicate Chris Feder as recognition name.
“His loss will be felt by the countless lives he touched. May his memory be a blessing!,” said Dan Kurtz, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives of Maccabi USA
Bottom photo: Photo of Mike Kosoy and Chris Feder, courtesy of Mike Kosoy.
USA Wrestling received sad news that wrestling leader Chris Feder, 73, of San Rafael, Calif. passed away on Monday.
Feder, active within USA Wrestling and Maccabi USA Wrestling for many years, made a tremendous impact on wrestling and on the lives of others as an athlete, coach, friend and a leader.
“He did a whole lot for a lot of people, asking for nothing in return,” said Mike Kosoy, now an assistant wrestling coach at Oregon State who was coached by Feder at the Maccabiah Games. “He should be recognized not only for what he did for the sport, but for what he did for the people around him. He brought a different energy to the room whenever he entered, something I may never see again. He was an extraordinary person.”
Feder served many years as a Board member with California USA Wrestling. He was most recently the club director of the Brawlers WC in San Rafael, Calif. He coached for 15 years at Terra Linda High School in California.
Feder travelled often to major USA Wrestling events nationally, coaching athletes and helping grow the sport. He was instrumental in bringing 24 Hour Fitness in as a national sponsor for USA Wrestling. He was also active with Beat the Streets programs. He worked many years in the fitness industry.
A program where he made a major impact was within Maccabi USA and its Maccabi USA Wrestling program, first as an athlete, then as a coach and a leader. He had a passion and vision to build a thriving community of Jewish wrestlers of all ages. He was instrumental in the first-ever International Wrestling Camp for Juniors held in Israel in 2019 and the establishment of the Annual Maccabi Senior National and Junior National Championships.
As an international wrestler, Chris won silver in both freestyle and Greco-Roman in 1969 at the 8th Maccabiah. He returned 20 years later for the 13th Games again, winning individual double silver medals along with team silver in Greco-Roman and team gold in freestyle. Chris coached the highly successful team at the 20th Maccabiah in 2017 and was serving as the Wrestling Chair for the 21st Games scheduled for July 2022.
“The wrestling community lost a great man: I first met Chris Feder in 1989 at the 13th World Maccabiah Games in Israel. I was the youngest member of the team and Chris was the oldest. I am grateful for our friendship that spanned almost 30 years. He also gave me one of the most incredible gifts ever: a return trip to Israel in 2017 to be his right hand man for the US wrestling team. Chris Feder has a very unique outlook on life and I am so happy I got to spend time and learn from him. He took great care of me and all of the American wrestlers. He was kind and gentle, but a pit bull when things needed to happen,” Rob Prebish, who coached alongside Feder at the 2017 Maccabiah Games, posted on Feder’s Facebook page.
A native of Long Island, N.Y., Chris competed for LIU-Post, then called C.W. Post. He placed second at the 1969 NCAA Div. II Championships, and went undefeated in dual-meet competition for the Pioneers. Feder won three Metropolitan Wrestling Conference championships.
He is a member of the California Wrestling Fall of Fame, and received their Lifetime Service Award in 2006. He was also a member of the LIU-Post Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 2007.
Information on funeral arrangements are currently not available.
Maccabi USA will be establishing a memorial fund to honor his memory and support the many ongoing wrestling initiatives that are his legacy. Contributions can be made at: https://bit.ly/2Y4DgUT Please indicate Chris Feder as recognition name.
“His loss will be felt by the countless lives he touched. May his memory be a blessing!,” said Dan Kurtz, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives of Maccabi USA
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