Bethel Park’s Horner inducted
Jim Horner of Bethel Park was recently inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame.
With 35 years of involvement in the sport, he is also a member of the Southwestern Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League’s Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Bethel Park High School Hall of Fame in 2008.
Horner served the sport as an official and as a coach.
The Montour High School graduate was a coach at Churchill from 1967-70 and at Bethel Park from 1970-73. After that he began officiating matches, high school in 1973 and college in 1985. He served as the president of the Pittsburgh Chapter of wrestling officials for 15 years; five as vice president.
Horner, who refereed 700 dual meets and close to 200 tournaments, officiated at 25 WPIAL tournaments, eight PIAA championships, 11 national high school championships and 17 Dapper Dan Wrestling Classics.
His wrestling career overlapped with his professional career as an educator. He served as a principal at South Park, Peters Township and Bethel Park.
Horner earned his education certifications from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1967, Duquesne in 1970 and 1979 and the University of Pittsburgh in 1992.