The rumors are true...

Yup - most of you have heard it by now, so here it is:

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Valentine Leaving Wagner
Coach Of 3-Time ‘B’ Wrestling Champs Taking Administrative Role


For Ernie Valentine to leave Wagner, it had to be the perfect situation for his family.Now after spending 11 years as the head wrestling coach and a teacher for Wagner, Valentine will become an elementary principal.

Valentine said stepping into an administrative role has been a goal of his after teaching for over 10 years, and the timing was right for the move.“It’s been a family decision to make the move and I hope it works out for the best,” he said. “I had some other opportunities, but this one seems to fit my family the best, because my wife and I both have jobs there now and it’s the type of community that we were looking for.”

Even though Wagner principal Neil Goter would love to see Valentine and his wife stay at the school, he said he couldn’t be happier for Valentine and his family.“He is ready to become an administrator; it’s what he went to school for and he worked hard for this,” he said. “He served us well at Wagner and he will spend as much time with his new role as he did with coaching.”

Valentine will be leaving a storied legacy in Wagner. For the last 11 years, Valentine worked hard to make the Red Raiders a championship quality wrestling team year-in and year-out.The Red Raiders reaped the rewards of Valentine’s coaching, and he will leave the program after leading the team to its third straight Class B state championship.“I don’t have a coach that puts in as much time as he did,” said Goter about Valentine’s hard work as a coach. “He has set a work ethic that will be here for quite a while. No doubt he has done a fabulous job and got the kids and team to be successful.”

But all of the hard work forced Valentine to spend time away from his wife and five kids. His new role as a principal will allow him to see his family more.

“The job will have benefits with that and I will be able to spend more time with them,” Valentine said. “I will see my family more and I will get to see more of my kids sporting events as they grow up.” Valentine said it was because of how old his kids are, his oldest kid is in seventh grade and his youngest one is one year old, it allowed him and his family to make the decision to take the job.

“The timing was more for our family; my kids are in school and I feel I could make a move and it wouldn’t be quite so disruptive right now,” he said. “If I waited longer, then I might not get the opportunity. Where my kids are age wise, this is a good time for it.”

Valentine added his kids do have some reservations about the move and sad to be leaving some friends behind, but they are generally excited about the move.

Goter said Valentine found a great situation for him and his family.“The timing had to be right and he found a school that is comparable in size to Wagner,” he said. “He was also looking for a place that had a job for his wife, and with five kids, a place that had adequate housing. It just happened that the timing was now.”

Valentine may be moving on to a different school and won’t be a paid coach at his new school, but he said he still expects to find his way to the wrestling room once or twice. Valentine and his family have enjoyed their time in Wagner and he leaves the town with a lot of memories.

“I don’t know that there is one memory that will stick, but I think the success that we have had in wrestling and the young men who have gone through the program and are now having success in their professions; that’s what kind of sticks with you,” he said. “We will treasure our time here and we plan to make it back here from time to time.”

Goter said Valentine will make a good principal.“He served us well and we are are happy to see him take a step up in his career ladder,” he said.

Valentine will start his new job as principal sometime in July.


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Former Wagner wrestling coach Ernie Valentine watches as two wrestlers work on a move during a practice in February. Valentine is leaving Wagner after three straight Class B state championships. (Luke Hagen)