Wrestling lost a great supporter, fan, official and coach today as Bill Scheffler passed away. Bill was known all over the state as an official, coach, fisherman, sportsman and a great practical joker.

Bill started coaching Wrestling in the 50's and started the Andale Wrestling program in the early 60's. I had the privledge of wrestling against several of Bill's wrestlers during the 60's and still have a personal note sent to me from him after winning a State Championship.

Most of us today remember Bill as an Official and most of us can remember a story about Bill or one of his practical jokes. He usually made those long tournament days pass a little quicker as he talked about the fish he caught last week or what phase the moon was in. A lot times this discussion would occur as he walked by you in the corner chair as your kid was on the mat.

If you have a good story about Bill and his relationship to the sport let others know. It won't be the same this winter without seeing one of Bill's fishing guides left in the hospitality rooms or watching him stuff a fresh cow pie in the bottom of a fellow Officials duffel bag.

Bill's funeral will be at the Catholic Church in Colwich, Ks. on Saturday, October 3rd at 10:30 a.m.

If you are an Official and planning to attend, they have ask for you to wear your Black Officials Jacket.

We'll miss you Bill,

Terry Alley
Head Coach
Andover Central High School

Bill was a big influence on the lives of me and my family as my grandmother's neighbor in Colwich. I would always see him out in the garden pulling weeds or feeding cattle. He was always interested in how things were going in my wrestling season and had words of incouragement or instruction, sometimes he talked wrestling but usually fish. The Andale program has come a long way from the days when they only had three singlets and had to practice in the boiler room under the stage. We may not have a team at all right now if it had not been for the early work that he put in.
Thanks for everything Bill.
Brad Lies
Head Coach Andale High

Bill was a great friend. I always enjoyed time that I got to spend with him and his wife.
One of the my best Bill Scheffler stories was when he was officiating a match with one of my wrestlers, Paul Myers. He was wrestling an Ellsworth wrestler at the KMC tournament. Both wrestlers were good and I knew it was going to be a good match. During the match the Ellsworth wrestler stalled the entire time. During one period when both wrestlers were on their feet my wrestler shot over 20 times with the Ellsworth wrestler attempting no takedowns. After the match I asked Bill how come he wouldn't warn the guy for stalling. He told me "your wrestler was shooting so much all his opponent had time to do was sprawl, so he wasn't stalling he was sprawling."
Bill was the greatest and he will be missed.
Jeff Watkins

When Bill was the AD at Andale, I broke my ankle in a FB game there. They did not have an ambulance there, but Bill loaded me in his "fishing" car and away we went to St. Francis. I did not know him at the time, but he stayed with me and my mother until 3:00 in the morning when they sent me home. He took some heat from the Andale faithful about it, but my mother wrote to the local paper about how caring an compassionate he was through the ordeal. After that he never forgot who I was and was a great mentor the past 30 odd years. As a wrestler and coach I will have to admit I did get a few favors when he was officiating.
But never anything that changed the outcome of the match. He was a great man. We only need more like him.
I got alot of razzing about the ride to the hospital as many who knew him wanted to know if I had sat on any hooks...

Joe Wilcox
Chaparral

Years ago when Coach Gus Garcia had moved back to southcentral Kansas from Atwood, he noted that it seemed his wrestlers could never get a call from Bill Scheffler. This went on for a few years then I noticed at a tournament that Gus's wrestlers had gotten some favorable calls from Bill. I asked Coach Garcia if he was of the same opinion about the change and he agreed. I then asked what he thought brought about the change, Gus just smiled and said, "I took him fishing this summer".