Jim Beichner, a Sinclairville native and 1982 graduate of Cassadaga Valley Central School, was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame last Saturday at the Upstate New York Chapter’s ceremony at the DoubleTree Hotel in East Syracuse. When he achieved his goal, he added an important addition to his extensive athletic resume. Photo courtesy of Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame
Jim Beichner visited the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame a few years ago. To say he was impressed with the museum in downtown Jamestown would be an understatement.
“This is an incredible place and there’s so much more to it than I ever expected,” said the Sinclairville native and Cassadaga Valley Central School graduate (class of 1982) on a July 2021 That’s what he said. ” … You can come here 10 days in a row or 100 days in a row and get new information about all kinds of great things that Chautauqua County (athletes) have accomplished. ”
Beichner, himself a 2004 CSHOF Hall of Fame inductee, announced his extensive list of accomplishments when he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame last Saturday at the Upstate New York Chapter’s ceremony at the DoubleTree Hotel in East Syracuse. Added important items to athletic resume.
“Those honored here today are part of a great mission and legacy, not only in our state but in our sport,” said National Wrestling Hall of Fame Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. “They are heroes to those they impact through their work in sports and beyond, and are an inspiration to future generations. Their dedication, service and leadership stand out, one individual at a time. , building one program, one community and sustaining our sport.”
Mr. Beichner certainly belongs to that company.
The former Collegiate All-American and former University at Buffalo head coach has had quite a career in the sport, earning numerous honors and awards both on and off the mat, and has already starred at Cassadaga Valley Central School, Eastern Wrestling, Clarion University and Chateau. Kur Sports Hall of Fame.
In recent years, Beichner, who lives in Salisbury, North Carolina, has traded his wrestling coaching talents for a key role at Penske Racing.
“(As Penske’s director of athletics), it’s like working at a small university,” Beichner said during a visit to Jamestown three years ago. “You have strength coaches, you have equipment room people, you have trainers. You hire, you fire, you manage. … You surround yourself with the best people, and you try to win with the best people.”
Beichner has certainly risen to the challenge.
For nine years, he developed a pit crew that was No. 1 10 times in races including the Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, Monster Energy Cup and Xfinity Owners Championship.
And all of these accomplishments are rooted in Route 380 in central Chautauqua County.
“If it ends today, I’ll be the luckiest man in the world. If it lasts another 10 to 15 years, I’ll be even luckier,” Beichner said in 2021.
But no one who knew him would consider his accomplishments to be “lucky.”
Cliff Blom, Cassadaga Valley’s wrestling coach from 1976 to 1986, called Beichner’s accomplishments on the mat “amazing and impressive” in his nomination for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. I am doing it.
Blom then added: “But even the most passionate among us eventually walk away from wrestling. Finally, Matt won and we were replaced by younger, more talented athletes. The experience of dealing with life’s challenges for many years has taught each of us valuable lessons.
“Jim continues to uphold the principles of hard work, integrity, teamwork, humility, and sacrifice. And he intentionally builds strong relationships using the concept of helping others achieve. Masu.”
Few people in the history of Chautauqua County have done it better than Mr. Beichner.
True to his humble nature, he expressed his gratitude to those who have helped him on his athletics journey.
“I would like to thank my family, friends, college teammates, and all the student-athletes/coaches I worked with as coaches and competitors,” Beichner wrote in the NWHOF Upstate New York Chapter program. “I’m a very lucky person to be surrounded by so many great people. I feel blessed again and again for all that you’ve done for me. Thank you so much to everyone. Wrestling is truly a world… It’s the oldest and greatest sport, and it’s a bond that lasts a lifetime and beyond.”
MAYVILLE — Falconer improved to 13-0 with a 4-1 and 3-2 win in the 10-game professional set against Chautauqua Lake.
West Ellicott — Southwestern/Jamestown won all but one event en route to defeating Chautauqua Lake/Westfield 129-33…
