Jim Hadorn Inducted Into South Dakota Hall of Fame

Jim Hadorn, former Milbank High School teacher, athletic director, and head wrestling coach, was inducted into the South Dakota Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place during the 2021 South Dakota State Wrestling Tournament in Rapid City on Saturday, February 27. He was surrounded by his family, friends, and many former Milbank Bulldog wrestlers when he accepted his award.

Hadorn joins a distinguished list of coaches — several with whom he his well-acquainted. His entire wrestling career was punctuated by coaches who would later be inducted into the hall of fame. In high school, he wrestled for Aberdeen Central under future hall of fame coaches, Lee Wolf and Jack Niesen. 

He started his coaching career at Lyman High School, where he was the school counselor and assistant wrestling coach under Cordie Schlomer  — now, also a hall of fame coach. He then moved to Milbank, where he served as the middle school coach for two years and the assistant high school coach for 16 years under Bob Hirsch — another member of the hall of fame. Under Hirsch, Hadorn was a two-time recipient of the South Dakota Wrestling Coaches Association assistant coach of the year.
He was promoted to head wrestling coach for the Bulldogs in 2003 and remained there until 2006. During that time, he accumulated a coaching record of 51-28.

Hadorn was selected as the Region1A Coach of the Year and nurtured 81 state champions and place winners. He was instrumental in several second-place state finishes (1993, 1994, and 1995) and led the Bulldogs to the state championship in 1990. He also served five times as South Dakota’s USA Freestyle Wrestling Junior National Team coach.

Hadorn’s many accomplishments include SDHSA board member, SDHSAA Board Chairman, and SDHSAA Distinguished Service Award recipient. He and his wife, Barb, live in Rapid City. They have three children: Julie, Scott, and Jana.