Hall of Fame

C. Lee Woodford

On September 22, 1951 Lee was the last of four boys born to Larry and Merle Woodford in Minersville, PA.  Upon graduation he went to Sterling College, Sterling, Kansas where in 1971 he met and then married in 1972 his wife of 36 years, Nancy Montgomery.  In 1973 he graduated with a degree in education with an emphasis in the social sciences.  He was the first member of his family to do so.  He and Nancy have three children, Kristy Anna, Abby Jane (Deceased) and Jeb David.

His first teaching/coaching job was in the small 1A high school in Chase, Kansas.  He coached both golf and track. In 1978 he left teaching to become an assistant curator at Cowtown Wichita.  In 1979 he was called to interview in Goodland, Kansas for a teaching and wrestling coaching position with the legendary coach, Rocky Welton.  In Goodland he was a head Jr. High coach and assistant high school coach for four years.  When Rocky briefly retired in 1983, Lee was hired as Goodland’s head coach.  In 1986 Lee moved his family to Manhattan to take over MHS’s wrestling program.  Over the next 19 years Lee coached the Manhattan Indians to become one of the premier wrestling program in the state of Kansas.  During Lee’s career he has been honored both in the classroom and on the mat. The following is a list of the achievements his teams accomplished under his coaching leadership.

15 League Championships (14  I-70 League Championships, 1 Centennial League Championship ), 9 Regional Championships, 5 Regional Second Place Finishes
At State he coached 1 state championship (2004), 3 Second Place Finishes, 5 Third Place Finishes and most impressively accumulate a dual record of 237-32
Individually he had 15 state champions, 6 All Americans, one USAGWA All American 2 National Champions and 84 State Placers.

Individual Coaching Honors
 
1996- 6A Coach of the Year
2001- 6A Coach of the Year
2001 Honorary Coach for the West in the East/West Senior Classic
2002- 6A Wrestling Officials Sportsmanship Coach of the Year
2002- National Wrestling Coaches Kansas Coach of the Year
2004- 6A Coach of the Year
2004- Tribute to MHS Wrestling Team by the Kansas Senate
2005- Inducted into The Wrestling Hall of Fame
December 6, 2005 City of Manhattan honored him with a Lee Woodford Day
Classroom Honors
1986 Outstanding Educator, Goodland Alumni Association
1995 Goodland High School Commencement Speaker
2001 USD 383 Teacher of the Year, 2001 Secondary Master Teacher of the Year
2004 MHS Commencement Speaker