Your future, our focus
BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune
Former Trapper wrestler Art Castillo is set to be inducted into the NJCAA Wrestling Hall of Fame for his success coaching at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs.
Castillo has been the coach at Western for 13 years, where he has helped coach 50 All-American wrestlers — including five national champions, six two-time All Americans and the 2018 NJCAA Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Castillo grew up and graduated from Green River High School as a two-time state placer where he was part of three state championships. He then came to Powell and wrestled for two years at Northwest College under head coach Jim Zeigler, where he was an NJCAA national qualifier.
Castillo then took his career to Dana College in Blair, Nebraska, where he was a two-time national qualifier and a two-time Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) champion.
Castillo earned his master’s in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University-Irvine and his coaching career beginning as a student assistant at Dana College.
He then returned home to Green River and served as a volunteer assistant coach for three years at Western Wyoming before taking over the head coaching role.
A profile highlighting Castillo’s career achievements says he “would like to give special thanks to all his high school and college coaches for their guidance and leadership over the years.”
Castillo now joins Zeigler in the hall of fame, along with former Trapper wrestlers Brian Luna, Cory Hintz, Seth Wright and Tyler Rhodes.
Over the weekend, Castillo led Western to a fourth place finish overall at the NJCAA National Championships in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Two Trappers, Ryker Blackburn and Gus Harrison, also competed at the national tourney and their results will be published in Thursday’s Tribune.