Debbi Kallai to be inducted into National Wrestling Hall of Fame

Before she married her husband, Debbi Kallai never could have imagined the significant role the sport of wrestling would fill in her life. What started as helping Chris Kallai Sr. as he began his coaching career quickly turned into Debbi Kallai catching that same passion. Now, after decades of service in the sport, she will be recognized by the Ohio chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for her "Lifetime of Service to Wrestling" in a ceremony on Oct. 9. "I broke down in tears because I couldn't believe it," Kallai said. "It's such an honor that I never expected it. I'm very humbled to be chosen and I want to thank the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Ohio chapter." Kallai joins her husband (2014) and legendary Wadsworth coach John Gramuglia (2017) as some of those with Medina County ties that have been honored by the hall of fame, which is based in Stillwater, Okla. Kallai, who works at Wadsworth Family Dentistry, had very little exposure to wrestling before Chris introduced her to the sport by asking her to help him as he began his career as a coach. From there, she spent 15 years working with the Little Sibs program at Wadsworth, nine more years running mat stats for Lake High and has since spent more than 20 years as a pairer for USA Wrestling, including being named the National Pairer of the Year in 2017. A pairer is the person who organizes the brackets for wrestling tournaments to make sure the field is fairly laid out. Kallai has earned the highest ranking possible in USA Wrestling, P1E, which has allowed her to work on regional and national tournaments across the country. One such tournament was the 2015 World Championship in Las Vegas, where Kallai got to see Kyle Snider win a title. "It was phenomenal just being a part of the atmosphere and working wherever they needed me — at the tables or making the flower arrangements for the champions when they were awarded their medals," she said. Kallai credits her husband and sons Chris Jr., Matt and Josh for making her journey in wrestling and this hall of fame credential possible. "It is awesome to be able to share the sport of wrestling with my husband and our three sons," she said. "Without them I wouldn't be getting this amazing honor." Wrestling has always been at the core of the Kallai family. Chris Sr. was a part of two of Coventry's three consecutive team state championships from 1978-80 before beginning a lengthy coaching career that included 15 years as an assistant at Wadsworth, as well as stops at Malone, Coventry, Barberton and Muskingum College. Chris Jr., 39, and Matt, 38, were state champions for the Grizzlies in 2001 and 2002, respectively. Matt was a four-time state placer and an NCAA National qualifier for Cleveland State. Josh, who turns 36 next week, also was a state placer for Wadsworth. With such a commitment to the sport, family vacations often consisted of traveling to one tournament or another. Highlights of those trips included an AAU tournament in Billings, Mont., in which the family flew into Salt Lake City and went whitewater rafting and mountain climbing. The tour guide on the trip turned out to be a transplanted former Westlake wrestler. "(Wrestling) brings us all together as a bond," Kallai said. "We get to travel and we make it fun. Along the way the boys' friends would all come to the same tournaments. Wrestling takes you a lot of places and it became our family thing." Among the places Debbi and Chris Sr. got to travel was Croatia for the 2017 World Championship, an honor they earned after becoming the first, and to this point only, husband and wife pair to win USA Wrestling's President's Award. Wrestling continues to bring the Kallais together as Chris Sr., Debbi, Chris Jr. and Josh, as well as nephew Art Kallai, run Wrestle One Tournaments. The company operates tournaments throughout the country and has run the Ohio state tournament the past two years, becoming the first outside organization given that privilege. "Wrestling is a family sport and it's how our family has stayed together," Kallai said. "Now, we run a wrestling tournament business and we're very blessed that our two sons that live in Ohio are a part of our business. "Wrestling doesn't just teach you about the sport. You use it in every-day life," she added. "It teaches you how to treat others, it builds character and you get to see achievement through helping people. That's what I love it, the opportunity to give back." Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com.