"Pete

Fritts is truly an American hero," NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro

said. "Not only did he serve his country with pride and distinction,

but his efforts were directly responsible for giving thousands of America's

youth the opportunity to compete in wrestling and reap its benefits. Pete

did this out of his love for wrestling and his desire to help kids. Every

American owes him a debt of gratitude."

Fritts spent

20 years on active duty with the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of lieutenant

colonel. He served tours of duty with the 82nd Airborne Division (Fort

Bragg, N.C.), the 25th Infantry Division (Hawaii and Vietnam), the Imperial

Iranian Gendarmerie (Teheran, Iran), the Pentagon (Washington, D.C.),

Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army/United Nations Command/JUSMAAG (Seoul,

Korea), and Headquarters, Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Ga. At virtually

every location, Fritts started or reactivated wrestling programs for local

military personnel and/or their dependent sons.

After reassignment

to Fort McPherson, Ga., he started youth wrestling programs on his Army

post and in his home community, Lithonia. Fourteen of his youth wrestlers

went on to win state high school championships in Georgia or in other

states.

Fritts earned

many decorations and awards, including the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star,

Meritorious Service Medals with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Joint

Services Commendation Medal. He retired from active duty in 1980 and began

a 19-year career as a member of the faculty at Woodward Academy in College

Park, serving as head wrestling coach for 10 years as well as head baseball

coach and assistant football coach. His wrestling teams compiled a record

of 140-19-3. After his retirement, Fritts established the Metro Atlanta

Wrestling Officials Association, which continues as a strong organization

today.

In 1997, Fritts

became Georgia's state representative to the NHSCA, a post he still holds

today. Under his direction, Team Georgia has grown from one National Open

qualifying tournament with 47 participants in 1997 to four qualifying

tournaments with 589 participants in 2001. Last summer, 198 Georgia wrestlers

entered the NHSCA National Open Championships, the second-highest total

of any state. Due to this rapid growth, Georgia will add a fifth qualifying

tournament this year.

Fritts and

his wife of 41 years, Page, live in Peachtree City. They are the parents

of a daughter, Deborah, and a son, Pete, and also have an eight-month-old

granddaughter, Teagan Sage.

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