Photo Provided Pat Sole looks on while coaching Ohio Valley University in a wrestling match. Sole has been recognized by the West Virginia State Chapter for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

PARKERSBURG –The plaque reads Pat Sole as recipient of the “Lifetime Service to Wrestling” award.

Yet, when Sole discusses the award, a multitude of individuals are responsible for his recognition by the West Virginia State Chapter for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. If he had his way, their names would also be engraved on the hardware.

“The award is a combination from wrestling at a young age all the way through college and wrestling internationally to getting to coach with fellow colleagues in the community where the culture of wrestling has been represented well,” said Sole, who attended the awards banquet in Charleston this past October. “I would say, what can I do to leave your legacy behind. What I did as a coach and competitor over the years, I hope was meaningful.

“Wrestling had a purpose in serving our community and our state. And being able to compete at an international level was an honor and a privilege. I’m just blessed and thankful I had the opportunity.”

Sole showed interest in the sport at the age of 5. Before graduating from Parkersburg South High School in 1978, he won two state titles and finished runner-up once. He became a four-time national freestyle and Greco placewinner with All-American status.

His international experience as a member of the West Virginia all-star teams took him to Germany and South Korea. As a member of the Liberty University wrestling program, he became an All-American after placing third at nationals.

Sole red-shirted one season in order to train for the 1980 Olympics.

After winning two regional Olympic Trials and placing in the national trials, he was named an alternate for the USA Olympic team,

After graduating from Liberty University in 1983, Sole retired from competitive wrestling. Coaching became his passion. He joined the wrestling staff at South as an assistant.

In 2006, Sole received an offer to be the head coach at Liberty U. In his first season with six South graduates on his roster, the Flames captured an NCAA regional championship. The next three seasons resulted in successive East Regional titles.

Sole returned to the Mid-Ohio Valley to take over the coaching duties at Ohio Valley University from 2011-21. On five occasions, the Fighting Scots qualified for the NCAA Division II national championship.

“It was an honor just being to see individuals and kids who wrestled mature and go on with their lives as professionals such as teachers, lawyers and coaches,” said Sole, who sent out a special thanks to his wife (Vickie), sons Cody and Dustin and his parents Dale and Ruth Sole. In fact, Pat Sole is retired from the gas and oil company, and moved back to the property he grew up in Lubeck.

“When my father got back from the Korean War in the 1950s, he received this piece of land and we have kept it in the family. We have another farm in Pleasants County. I came back to West Virginia in 2011, so the stints at Liberty as a college coach is the only time I didn’t live in Wood County.”

At the age of 62, Sole considers himself retired from wrestling only in the aspect that he doesn’t coach full-time. Age has caught up with his body, and he misses being in the practice room on a daily basis.

With wrestling season kicking back into full gear, Sole plans to stay hands-on with the sport and try to honor requests from area coaches to spend time at a practice or two.

“I always want to be involved — I am happy with that,” Sole said. “I just don’t want to get in structuring and doing it all myself. I enjoy the practice room and rubbing elbows with the kids. That’s how you get into a kid’s heart. You know what they are thinking.”

Joining Sole for the West Virginia State Chapter’s Class of 2022 are Sterling P. Beane, Sr. (Lifetime Service to Wrestling); Mark Delligati (Lifetime Service to Wrestling); Robert Pruett (Outstanding West Virginian); Arden Sansom (Lifetime Service to Wrestling); and Bill Whittington, Jr. (Lifetime Service to Wrestling).

Former Parkersburg South coach Paul Jackson nominated Sole for induction.

“Paul called me up one day — I figured this was pretty serious so I better have a talk with him,” Sole said. “The news kind of caught me off guard.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com