Like father, like son.
Just as his father Doug went into the Tennessee chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame 15 years ago, longtime McCallie coach Mike Newman will enter that same Hall on Saturday night, May 18, at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville.
It is the first time in the history of the Tennessee chapter of the Hall that a father/son tandem has been enshrined. Mike is being inducted into the Lifetime Service category.
“I feel undeserving, to be honest,” said Newman, who has also been an integral part of the Mccallie football staff as the offensive line coach for four state title teams over the last five years.
“All these tremendous people who are already in the Hall, and most of them have done something to help me along the way.”
His father served as a football and wrestling coach for more than 20 years at Goodlettsville High School north of Nashville before taking over at Hunters Lane High during Mike’s junior and senior years. Newman was the 1988 state champ at 152 pounds his senior year and was the 1987 and 1988 Mid-State Wrestler of the Year, as well as becoming the USA Southeast Regional Freestyle Champion in ‘87 and ‘88.
From there he went on to be a four-year starter on four Southern Conference championship teams at UT-Chattanooga, where he also was a four-time SoCon finalist. He has been a McCallie coach in football and wrestling for the past 30 years.
A former McCallie head wrestling coach, Newman also earned the TN Assistant Coach of the Year in 2007, has coached 42 individual state champions, and 11 National Prep All-Americans.
Mike says his father is “super excited” and that both his dad and mom Sue will be at the ceremony, along with Mike’s wife Gail and their sons Tyler and Cole.
Looking back on his childhood around his father, Mike said, “My second home was always the wrestling room and the football field.”
Told some would say that’s still the case, Newman chuckled and said, That’s probably true. I guarantee my wife would say that.”
(Contavt Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@mccallie.org)