Be inspired by Kenny Monday, former Olympic gold medalist wrestler and current Head Coach and Director of the wrestling academy at SPIRE Institute. Kenny shares the value of learning from all experiences, including wins and losses, to drive us forward. Kenny is creating opportunities for youth and student athletes as he believes “when we re-invest in our youth, we make a deposit into our future.”
A little about Kenny:
Kenny Monday is a three-time Olympian and member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He grew up wrestling in Oklahoma where he won four state titles and the 1977 Junior National Championships. His record from 7th – 12th grade was an astonishing 140-0-1. As an All-American collegiate wrestler at Oklahoma State, his record was 121-12-2, where he also captured the NCAA title in 1984.
Post-college, Kenny won Olympic gold in Seoul in 1988, Olympic silver in Barcelona in 1992, and finished 6th in 1996 in Atlanta. He also won multiple gold and silver medals in World Cup, World Championships, and Pan American events.
After retiring from competition, Kenny became a highly respected wrestling coach. Most recently, he served as the head coach of the University of North Carolina Tar Heel Wrestling Club from 2016 to 2021. Currently, Kenny is Director and Head Coach of Wrestling at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.
Kenny has been married to his wife Sabrina for 25 years. They have 3 children: Sydnee, Kennedy, and Quincy.