The Stanley-Boyd wrestling program has entered a new era, as longtime head coach Greg Burzynski stepped down in February after 16 years at the helm. Burzynski leaves behind a storied legacy—one marked by state champions, conference titles, and a commitment to shaping young athletes both on and off the mat. Taking over the reins is Coach Jake Fitzsimmons, who has coached at Stanley-Boyd for nine years and is ready to continue the tradition of excellence.
Greg Burzynski’s influence on the Stanley-Boyd wrestling program is immeasurable. As a Stanley-Boyd student, Greg wrestled for Stanley-Boyd before graduating in 1999. He started helping out on a volunteer basis with high school and the youth program in the fall of 1999 to the end of the season in 2001. He attended UWEC where he was able to be mat side for the first state champ in program history and from 2001-2003 Burzynski competed at the collegiate level for UW-Eau Claire but in his second season, he suffered a neck injury. After consulting with a neurologist and neurosurgeon, he made the difficult decision to end his competitive career. “So, I went right back to coaching,” he explained.
Burzynski’s coaching career spanned 23 years, beginning as a volunteer coach in 1999, and culminating with 16 years as head coach. During his coaching career, Burzynski built the program into one of the most respected in the Cloverbelt Conference, guiding the team to 25 conference champions, 34 state qualifiers, 13 state place winners, and 4 individual state champions. Under his leadership, the team also earned two Cloverbelt Conference team titles and a regional team title, leaving a lasting impact on the wrestling community.
“Coach B has made a huge impact not only on just the wrestlers he coached, but coaches, officials, and wrestling fans,” said Fitzsimmons, who had worked alongside Burzynski for eight years. “He has been a positive influence not only in teaching wrestling moves and technique, but in being a positive example to our wrestlers in how to live. Coach B has high expectations for wrestlers on the mat and in the classroom, while showing them dedication, how to persevere through challenges, integrity, work ethic, and leading by example.” He added, “Coach B has invested his time into our wrestlers for 25 years.”
For Burzynski, one of his greatest achievements was coaching his son, Breckin, through his entire wrestling career. “I was lucky enough to coach him from the beginning of his career at the age of four to the end in high school,” Burzynski said. “We were able to spend a lot of time together and make MANY memories. He loved the sport from start to finish.” He adds that when Breckin finished his wrestling career, he knew it was time to resign. “He was done, it was time for me to be done.”
Burzynski’s decision to step down was driven by his confidence in Fitzsimmons and assistant coach Cecil Philson. “I stepped away because I was comfortable with Jake and Cecil taking over the program. They both have demonstrated over the years that they are completely capable of keeping this program on a successful path,” Burzynski explained. “It was time. I am not one to hang on.”
As Fitzsimmons takes the helm and steps into the role of head coach, he brings years of wrestling experience from his time wrestling in high school to coaching at both the youth and high school levels. Over the past two seasons, Fitzsimmons served as Burzynski’s assistant coach, learning from the very best while preparing for this moment. “I have had a strong passion for wrestling since I was in high school,” said Fitzsimmons. “Since I have been here at Stanley-Boyd that has only grown. When Greg stepped down, I knew that we were losing a very important part of our program and looked forward to the challenge of keeping things going.”
Now, as head coach, Fitzsimmons is excited to build on the success of the past while introducing some of his own strategies. “We are making a few small changes in practices but keeping the same gritty work ethic that Greg instilled,” Fitzsimmons said. “One of the small changes we are making is lifting weights during practice this year to try and maintain the wrestlers’ strength throughout the season.”
Under Burzynski’s leadership, the Stanley-Boyd wrestling program consistently produced top-tier athletes. Fitzsimmons aims to carry on that tradition by continuing to build on the strong foundation that Burzynski set for the program. He shared, “Greg has been a positive influence for so many wrestlers. His influence was not only by teaching wrestling moves, but by being an example to them and not just on the wrestling mat. If the team was conditioning Greg would not only keep time and keep the kids going, he would do the conditioning with them. I plan to continue these things as head coach and hope to take us to the next level.”
As Burzynski stepped back and Fitzsimmons has stepped in, both coaches share the same vision for the future of the program: continued success, development, and a focus on character. “Jake truly loves the sport and it is his turn to pass that on to his athletes,” Burzynski said. “He has what it takes to be successful!”
“I want us to continue to be at the top of the Cloverbelt conference and to continue to produce strong wrestlers,” Fitzsimmons explained. “We had a solid group of wrestlers that put in a lot of work this offseason and I am looking forward to seeing their progress. We return one state place winner in Willy Graham, and three other wrestlers who had over 30 wins last year.”
Fitzsimmons is also excited to see the rise of girls’ wrestling, which has been gaining popularity in recent years. “We have almost 30 kids out for wrestling this year including six girls. Girls wrestling seems to be really taking off,” he said. “In recent years, it has been recognized by the WIAA as a sport and is one of the fastest growing sports in the nation,” Burzynski agreed.
As Burzynski has stepped away from coaching, he reflects on the memories that stand out the most. “There are many awesome memories. The ones that come to mind right away are being matside for four individual state championships (Zach and Blaine 3x’s) and having the opportunity to coach three of my brothers and coaching two of them to state appearances.”
Burzynski shared that some of the toughest challenges during his coaching career had nothing to do with wrestling. “During the 2012-13, 2013-14, and 2023-24 seasons, my daughter was battling cancer. I remember being at the state tournament one year (either 2013 or 2014) and while finals were going on (I had no one in the finals) I was on the phone with Katie because Lakken was being transported via ambulance due to some complications.” He added, “Oftentimes, it was difficult not being there to help.” He also commented that the time away from family was another difficult challenge. “I am blessed to have a wife and family that supported all of the hours I was away from home for coaching. Katie deserves so much credit for the longevity of my coaching career. She was often alone with four kids for the majority of many winters. It is not uncommon in wrestling to be at the school at 5:30 am on a Saturday and return at 9-10 pm. Each season there are around 11 tournaments... She is amazing.”
With his newfound free time, Burzynski plans to spend more time with family, explore new hobbies, and possibly officiate wrestling, but his heart will always remain with the sport and the program he helped shape.
After 25 years of service, Coach Burzynski leaves behind a remarkable legacy that will live on in the many athletes he coached, including the first female state qualifier in Stanley-Boyd history, who competed in 2023. “We made it to state every year I was head coach, and I’m proud of that consistency,” he said. “But more than anything, I hope the athletes I coached are good people—good fathers, husbands, and members of society. Wrestling is about more than just winning matches.”
The athletes Burzynski mentored will carry his lessons with them for a lifetime. “I coached with three of my predecessors: Lee LaFlamme, Karl Walters, and Jay Thorpe and learned a lot from them and just hoped that I would be able to keep up the tradition of a strong wrestling program. Hopefully, I did that,” he remarked.
His advice to his wrestlers on and off the mat is, “Work hard for what you want, being successful doesn’t come easy. Do the right thing, not the easiest. Learn from everything: wins and losses. Wrestling, or any school sport, is a privilege. It is earned by being a student first, and an athlete second.” He concluded, “Thanks for letting me be a part of your story.”
As the Stanley-Boyd wrestling program transitions to new leadership, the legacy of Coach Burzynski will continue to inspire the athletes, coaches, and fans who have been part of this storied program. While Burzynski stepped away from the mat, his influence will be felt for years to come. And with Coach Fitzsimmons now at the helm, the Stanley-Boyd wrestling program is ready for a bright future.