El Paisano

Issue date: 5/15/09 Section: Sports

Ken Bos

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame, California Chapter, has invited one of Rio Hondo's former wrestling coach, who guided Rio to eight conference championships, Ken Bos, to be honored for his accomplishments as a wrestler, coach, and most importantly as a positive role model to the wrestling community.

Bos will be awarded the "Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award" from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum of Stillwater, Oklahoma on May 30 at the Sun & Sail Club II in Lake Forest. Individuals who receive this prestigious award have their name placed permanently on a plaque within the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum.

This is not the first such honor Bos has received though, as he was inducted into the NCAA Div. II Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1998 and the California Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2001. He is also a National Wrestling Coaches Association Executive Board Member, a three-time President of the California Community College Wrestling Coaches Association, and also was Wrestling Tournament Competition Director for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Bos was a standout everywhere he went from high school at Artesia High, where he was a three-year letterman, Cerritos College, where he was a two-year letterman, and at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he was a two time conference champion, three-time All-American, and placed in the top four in both NCAA Div. I and II.

But he certainly experienced as much if not more success at the coaching level as well. His outstanding coaching career began at Santa Barbara High School, where he coached for two years. He then moved on to Rio Hondo College where he won eight conference championships, three regional championships, and two state championships.

While at Rio Hondo he coached 34 Junior College All-Americans, including Rio Hondo's current wrestling coach, Mike Tellez back in 1987.

Bos Commented via email saying, "The current coach, Mike Tellez, was a member of my 1988 State Champion team, and seems to be doing a great job." Tellez has won the Western State Title for three straight seasons, as Bos went on to say, "I'm proud as heck that one of my guys is leading the Roadrunners. The ghost of Ken Bos still haunts the wrestling room."

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