The sport of wrestling has given Albert Lea wrestling head coach Larry Goodnature many accolades and now he will receive another when he is inducted into the Mayo Civic Center Region I wrestling Hall of Fame.

Goodnature is one of eight inductees for the class of 2010, which will be held March 8 in Rocheseter. He enters as both an athlete and a coach.

As an athlete he won the 145 pound state championship and went on to become a three-time All-American at Mankato State University. As a coach he has a career record of 358-135, which ranks in the top 30 of all-time in Minnesota. He’s led the Tigers to a total of five state tournaments, including four consecutive and two consecutive second place finishes.

Goodnature has dedicated much of his life to the sport and the sport, in turn, has given him opportunities.

Following his high school wrestling career Goodnature received a full scholarship to then Mankato State University after he won a state championship his senior year. Prior to the state title Goodnature said he never gave much serious consideration to attending college.

The scholarship offer started the process of what has developed into an illustrious career for Goodnature.

He became a three-time All-American at Mankato State under the guidance of Rummy Macias and went to the national tournament all four years, but his senior year remains the most memorable.

After his junior year Goodnature missed an entire year of wrestling when he suffered a serious injury in a motorcycle accident. His injuries required a body cast and a full-length cast on one of his legs and he thought his career had ended.

“My goal was to be an All-American again and I ended up getting into the semifinals of the national tournament and lost to an Illinois kid and ended up placing fifth in the nation,” Goodnature said. “I reached my goal, which was kind of neat after a major injury. I thought definitely it (his career) was over with.”

Albert Lea assistant wrestling coach Neal Skaar recalled the seriousness of the accident and remembered Goodnature being in casts for much of the summer.

“That’s quite an accomplishment for him to suffer that and gain All-American status again,” said Skaar, who coached Goodnature in high school and is a three-time All-American as well.

Goodnature doesn’t readily take any credit for the success of his coaching career or athletic career, instead he believes he’s fortunate to have been surrounded by talented people.

“I’ve been real fortunate through my years in wrestling to be part of good programs like Albert Lea, with good coaches,” Goodnature said. “At the same time I’ve had good coaches, I’ve had great teammates.”

Goodnature credits his athletic success to having quality teammates to train with and learn. At Albert Lea he practiced with three-time state champion Tom Jean and at Mankato State he trained with Jack Eustice, a high school state champion at Janesville and a NCAA champion in 1976 and four-time All-American.

“He was a working fool,” Goodnature said of Eustice. “He taught me a lot. I got a lot from him coaching-wise, too. I’ve just been around some good people throughout my whole career.”

Goodnature got his coaching start at Hutchinson where he won three conference championships and he returned to Albert Lea in 1979 as an assistant coach. Six years later he got a teaching job in the district and in 1992 to took over as head coach, succeeding Skaar.

Having two three-time All-Americans as coaches has helped the Albert Lea wrestling program develop into one of the premier programs in the state and Goodnature and Skaar have complemented each other’s style of wrestling along with assistant coaches Brian Goodnature, Mike and Jon Hansen and Ryan Palmer.

“Neither one of us are one dimensional,” Skaar said. “Our focus is in different areas and different techniques. As far as attitude and discipline and training and preparation it takes, we’re definitely on the same page there.”

Goodnature has always emphasized the basics and good technique and that has turned into success.

“That’s how I coach to this day — the basics and good technique and make sure the kids get it down and stay with that good basic technique and it’s done well for us,” Goodnature said. “That’s how I wrestled. I wasn’t no fancy headlocks, upper body wrestler, it was more take down, grind, ride, always could get out from the bottom and that’s what I coach now.”

After spending the past 35 years in a wrestling room Goodnature said he’s especially thankful for having an understanding wife.

“I’ve had 35 years of support from my wife, Mary,” Goodnature said. “I’m very fortunate to have an understanding wife.”