Long-time USA Wrestling referee and coach Jerry Kuntz, 69, has passed away

Respected USA Wrestling referee and Jerry Koontz of Yukon, Okla., 69, passed away on Monday, at the age of 69.

Kuntz was honored as Meritorious Official by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014 and received the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award from the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2008.

Kuntz served the sport of wrestling as an official for more than 30 years, working championships in the Olympic styles at every level of competition. Kids, cadets, juniors, and open division he did it all.

Kuntz became a wrestler in the seventh grade when the wrestling coach recruited him off the basketball team. At his high school graduation, he received a certificate for never missing one day of school in 12 years.

After high school graduation, he attended radio broadcasting school where he received a first-class license. Kuntz then attended Central State University, now the University of Central Oklahoma, and was a member of the wrestling team from 1974-77.

Kuntz began his teaching and coaching career at Chickasha Junior High and continued at Clinton High School, Hefner Junior High, Putnam City High School, and Casady School. As a high school wrestling coach, he had a career record of 199-78 while coaching 16 individual state champions. Kuntz also coached Team Oklahoma to freestyle national championships in 1988, 1989, and 1990. In 1994, he was named USA Wrestling’s Developmental Coach of the Year. During his career, he also coached football and track.

Kuntz gained a reputation as one of the finest officials in the country, both in folkstyle and the international styles of the sport. He was an NCAA official from 1991-2014 and a FILA official from 1997-2014. In 2006, Kuntz was named Official of the Year by USA Wrestling. He officiated many international tournaments during his career. His final one was in Mongolia in 2014 and his favorite trip was to Cuba in 2013.

Kuntz officiated more than 100 national tournaments, including 22 U.S. Opens, 23 Cadet/Junior Nationals, 23 Junior National Duals, four Kids freestyle/Greco-Roman Nationals, three Schoolboy Duals, and three University/Junior World Trials. In addition to that, he has officiated seven World Team Trials, two Olympic Trials (2004 and 2012), 43 USA regional tournaments, and three Armed Forces Championships. Kuntz has also officiated the Oklahoma high school state championships 25 times.

Kuntz served as an executive board member for the U.S. Wrestling Officials Association from 2002-2024, including being chairman of the ethics committee.

He received many honors and awards throughout his career, including the USWOA’s Phil Portuese Award, presented in recognition of developing young officials, in 2010, and the Mort Geller Award, presented for outstanding work with international officials, in 2012.

Kuntz also received the Oklahoma Wrestling Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 and was presented the Tom Moore Award by the Western Oklahoma Officials Association, for his continued support to the sport of wrestling, at the Oklahoma state wrestling tournament in March.

"On behalf of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Board of Governors and our staff, I extend our deepest sympathies to Jerry’s wife, Nancy, and to his entire family and many friends," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the Hall of Fame. "Jerry’s journey in wrestling began as a high school coach and evolved into a distinguished career as a folkstyle and Olympic-style referee, one that took him from Oklahoma to competitions around the world.

"A referee who is liked and respected by everyone is a rare breed," Smith added. "Jerry was admired not only for his integrity, consistency, and knowledge of the rules, but also for his kindness, humility, and his dedication to mentoring the next generation of officials. He gave back to the sport in every way possible, and his impact will be felt for years to come."