John Carlson

Sport: Wrestling

John Carlson was the head wrestling coach at Chandler High School in the late 1980's and 1990's.  Coach Chandler's Wolves were the back-to-back Class 5A State Wrestling Champions in 1989 and 1990.  The 1989 team broke Tucson Sunnyside's 8-year streak of State Titles.  The Wolves won the meet by a mere 6 points, but it was enough for the gold.  Coach Carlson was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2013. Carlson had been a member of the Executive Board of the AZHSACHOF for the past few years.  John was also a very successful track coach at Chandler.  John and his wife Carol were honored by the Chandler District naming a new elementary school after them in 2012.  Coach Carlson passed away on May 12, 2018, after a long bout with cancer.  

School at Time of Induction: Chandler

Year of Induction: 1995