Hal Simonek
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- Class:
- 2016
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- Sport(s):
- Wrestling (1957)
Bio
In 1948 Harold “Hal” Simonek became the third Inglewood wrestler to capture the Southern Section Championship, doing so at 98 pounds. He enrolled in ECC in 1957 and joined the program led by Dave Hengsteler. Simonek achieved an overall 90 winning percentage and became team co-captain.
Simonek continued at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where he took third in the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate Championships, first place at the Far Western Championships, and first at the Regional Olympic Trials in California. In 1958, he joined five other Cal Poly wrestlers to become the first to qualify for NCAA Nationals, where he went 1-2.
After college, Simonek became the head wrestling coach at Cerritos College, serving through 1978. He led the Falcons to the first wrestling state championship in school history in 1971, while also coaching swimming, water polo, and women’s cross country.
Simonek completed his tenure at Cerritos College as athletic director in 1978 and now manages two successful sports bars in Arizona.