Making a Difference: La Grande’s Klel Carson on national award and his legendary career
By Joe Hathaway on Thursday, January 18th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – For four decades, Klel Carson has led La Grande wrestling to the top of the Oregon wrestling world. Now the renowned coach is further cementing his legacy.
Carson has been honored as the 2022-23 National Boys Wrestling Coach of the Year by the NFHS Coaches Association. This prestigious recognition comes after Carson’s remarkable 31-year journey leading the La Grande High School boys wrestling program.
“You don’t start out coaching and you think you’ll be the national coach of the year. It’s humbling,” said Carson. “I just want to say thank you to everyone and that it’s a great honor.”
Carson learned about his honor this past Monday, receiving a call from Parker McKinley, La Grande High’s baseball coach and one of Carson’s first student teachers. McKinley, who serves on the Oregon Athletics Coaches Association board, shared the news with Carson.
“Parker is one of my lifelong friends, so that was pretty special,” said Carson.
Carson, who was raised in La Grande and raised his four children with his wife in Union County, says he focuses on teaching young athletes to excel in life, be great parents, and stand out as individuals. On the wrestling mat, he’s coached 28 state champions and 328 state qualifiers. As coach of La Grande High boys wrestling since 1993, his team has won the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) team wrestling championship four times, including consecutive wins in 2022 and 2023. His teams have also secured the OSAA state dual-team championship three times. Carson has earned multiple awards, including being named Oregon’s Class 4A Coach of the Year twice and the state’s wrestling Coach of the Year in 2023. In 1996, he was inducted into the La Grande High School Hall of Fame.
Reflecting on his coaching journey, Carson shared insights into his career, including coaching stints in other locations before settling in La Grande. He says before leading the Tigers to greatness, he began coaching at Roseburg and then Oakland, a tiny timber town in Douglas County.
“When I arrived there, Oakland hadn’t had a wrestling program for 20 years,” said Carson. “So myself and interested students started a wrestling club and eventually got a full program going again. That’s one of my favorite things over the years is knowing they still have a program. I’m super proud about it.”
Carson credits his love and passion for wrestling comes from his firm belief in the transformative power of the sport. “It’s so hard and so demanding that I really think it has a way of changing lives, making better people,” said Carson. “If people survive it, there’s just no way for them to not have something different in them.”
But wrestling isn’t his only love. He also helps coach football, baseball and softball.
When asked about his coaching philosophy, Carson emphasized the importance of relationships over winning, stating, “It’s about helping kids learn through the sport of wrestling to become champions in life and great people.”
Carson believes that the profound impact of coaching extends far beyond victories and losses, emphasizing the enduring relationships built with young athletes.
“Sometimes you lose when you’re supposed to win and sometimes you win when you’re supposed to lose,” said Carson. “In the end it’s just sports but the relationships you build with your team, your players and making a positive impact is what matters most.”
As for the future, Carson expressed his intention to continue coaching at La Grande High, especially given his love for the younger classes. While he takes it year by year, his dedication to teaching and coaching remains unwavering.
“My goal in life is to be the world’s best dad, not the world’s best coach, and so I always tell people I just need four votes to win,” said Carson. “I think my career has really been about those relationships with former athletes, teachers and coaches and it’s about these relationships you make with kids over the years. Those things last for a lifetime.”
