Providence Wrestling Coach Keith Healy To Retire After 26 Seasons

NEW LENOX, IL - Longtime Providence Catholic High School wrestling coach Keith Healy announced Tuesday that he plans to retire after the 2017-18 season, his 26th at the helm of a highly successful Celtics program. Healy's coaching retirement will come at the end of the season. He will continue as Dean of Students at the school.

"Coaching wrestling is a young man's game," Healy said in a news release shared by Providence Tuesday. "I came to realize that it was time to call it a career after last season's great finish."

The Celtics placed in the top four of the state in half of the seasons Healy has coached, a time period that was highlighted by a run of six consecutive state titles from 1997 to 2002. In addition to the six titles, Healy's teams have finished runner up three times, third place three times and fourth place once in 2016.

Healy is one of the most decorated high school wrestling coaches in Illinois. He currently holds IHSA records for most team appearances (13), consecutive wins (21 State Duals) and most titles won. He has coached numerous state qualifiers, 69 state place winners, and 31 wrestlers have reached the finals with 21 individual state champions, according to the school.

"Keith is a great coach and role model for the young men at Providence Catholic for the past 26 years," said Providence Athletic Director Doug Ternik. "He is a class act and he will be missed for the leadership he provided to the wrestling program over the years."

Here's a look back at Healy's career as wrestling coach at Providence Catholic:

Dual Meet Wins: 538

Chicago Catholic League Titles: 6

Coach of the Year: 8, including 3 IWCOA Coach of the Year awards

In 2017, Healy was named the National Coach of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association.

Photo courtesy of Providence Catholic High School