Bob Maughan: From wrestling to racquetball, sports is his game

	Bob Maughan is a pioneer for the sport of wrestling in Texas. As a UNT wrestling club coach for more than a decade, he influenced athletes who now promote the growing sport at the high school level.

At times, it seems like Bob Maughan eats, drinks and breathes sports.

He is a Texas Wrestling Hall of Honor inductee and a former member of the American Collegiate Racquetball Association national board of directors. He has been repeatedly honored for his work as an educator and has been a UNT faculty member for more than 30 years. He is a kinesiology lecturer and a physical activity and wellness program coordinator, but, when it comes to sports, he says, his first love is wrestling.

Wrestling is a family affair for Maughan; his brother and nephews are also involved in the sport.

"[My brother and I] were close," he says. "We grew up in a tough area, and we had to be close. We were only a year apart, and my brother started wrestling before me. I always looked up to the older guys, watched what they did. That's what got me interested."

In 1970, Maughan initiated the first UNT wrestling club team, and he continued to coach it until 1982. He credits the members of his teams in the '70s and early '80s with going on to promote wrestling in Texas high schools.

"Before these guys came through, wrestling was a relatively foreign sport," he says. "Now many of these guys coach or work in public schools. Thanks to their efforts, it became an official UIL sport five years ago."

Allen Jackson, Regents Professor of kinesiology, says Maughan is an asset to UNT.

"In his 30 years of commitment, Bob has taken on a lot of roles. He has had a directly positive influence on the area and the school," Jackson says.

These days, the sport Maughan participates in most is not wrestling but racquetball – he takes on his co-workers as opponents.

When he's not coaching, playing or watching sports, Maughan likes to cook, work in his yard and restore vintage cars. He currently drives a 1975 Chevy pickup and is working on a 1964 Triumph.

His love of wrestling was rekindled by his 2001 induction into the Texas Wrestling Hall of Honor, a distinction that pays homage to his days as a wrestling coach and the influence his former students have had on the sport at the high school level. He has also recently accepted the position of president for the newly created Texas chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Maughan says his favorite thing, besides spending time with his wife, Linda, and daughter, Erin, is working with students.

"I'll continue to be involved with sports as long as I can make an impact on athletes' lives," he says.

BY PETER HOFSTAD paiswri2@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue:

• Pohl: 2003-04 budget still unclear, commitments to quality education remain
• Commencement is May 10
• About the May 10 commencement speaker
• DISD superintendent to speak at TAMS graduation
• UNT System continues plans for public law school for North Texas region
• Faculty Senate chair reflects on a year full of changes
• UCM earns 10 awards for writing, publications, marketing materials
• Faculty Senate approves resolutions, admissions policy change report
• UNT to host National Youth Sports Program

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