Hall of Fame

Paul Gillespie HOF 2023 Headshot

Paul Gillespie

  • Class
    2023
  • Induction
    2023
  • Sport(s)
    Coach, Wrestling

Paul Gillespie is one of the winningest high school wrestling coaches in the history of New York State. He is one of only a few high school coaches to eclipse the 500-career win total with a 540-127-2 career overall record. He has seen dozens of his athletes go on to compete at the next level. He began his career in 1975 as a physical education teacher and multi-sport coach at Long Beach High School (Section VIII). He took the wrestling program, considered to be a “doormat” for many years, to an instant winner amassing a 252-32-2 record, winning 17 conference and Nassau County Championships, and seeing seven of his wrestlers capture NYSPHSAA Individual State Championships. From 1978-97 he stayed at Long Beach and was known to comb the halls of the middle school and high school annually recruiting kids he felt needed guidance and self-confidence not only as the wrestling coach, but as a mentor as well. Over the years, Paul also coached football, golf, boys and girls soccer, track and field, boys lacrosse and boys swimming. Gillespie took a few years off to enjoy his son’s high school wrestling career then returned to coaching at Oceanside High School (2001-04) where he founded the freestyle program and developed a youth program. Following his retirement in 2006 as a teacher at Long Beach, Paul went to Wantagh High School to become an assistant coach for four years before taking over the program in 2008. He racked up a 288-95 record while coaching two NYSPHSAA Dual Meet Champions and five wrestlers who won Nassau County Championships. He’s been honored a myriad of times for his success including National High School Wrestling National Scholastic Coach of the Year in 2013, Long Island Coach of the Year in 2011-12 and 2012-13, and was Nassau County Coach of the Year nine times. Additionally, Gillespie has been inducted into the New York State Wrestling Hall of Fame, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Nassau County Hall of Fame. A standout athlete and 1969 graduate of Baldwin High School (Section VIII), Paul earned a bachelors from West Chester College.