John Robinson enters his 11th year leading the Chiefs’ program. Coach Robinson served as a volunteer assistant coach in 1999 before taking over as head coach for six seasons. He returned to the role of volunteer assistant coach for two years before again taking the lead in 2008-2009. As head coach, Robinson has consistently developed competitive squads, culminating with a NJCAA Division III National Runner-up finish in 2006.

During his tenure with the program 12 Chiefs’ grapplers have earned NJCAA All-American status, including 133-lb. National Champion Ray Stephens in 2006. Robinson’s 2002-2003 crew finished 15th nationally and the 2003-2004 team placed 17th in the nation. In addition, his teams have excelled in the classroom as well. The 2001-2002 squad achieved a cumulative academic grade-point-average that tied them for number one in the nation among NJCAA wrestling teams.

Robinson wrestled in college for perennial national champion University of Iowa from 1993 through 1995. At New Hampton High School in Iowa, Robinson placed fifth in the state as a sophomore and second as a senior in 1991. Prior to coming to Waubonsee, Coach Robinson had a stint as a volunteer assistant coach at Plano High School in 1999. Away from the mat, Robinson and his wife Terri live in nearby Maple Park with sons Garret and Lane.       

Jeff Anderson has been on all three sides of Waubonsee’s wrestling equation. He was a Chiefs’ grappler in the early 1990’s, and has served as an assistant coach and head coach with the program during the last 11 years. Coach Anderson continues to bring a plethora of experience, knowledge and a hands-on coaching style to the program.

Anderson graduated from DeKalb High School where he starred for the highly successful Barbs wrestling program. He completed an Associate’s degree in Business at Waubonsee in 1992. He continued his wrestling career at Elmhurst College where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing in 1994. Anderson then served as an assistant coach for two years at Elmhurst prior to helping the Chiefs.

Coach Anderson is a three-time AAU National Champion and has also won the Iron Man National Championship. At the 2003 USA Wrestling National Championships, he captured the 85kg (187.5 lbs.) title in the Freestyle Veteran ‘A’ Division, the top tier for wrestlers 35 to 40 years of age. Anderson went on to place 5th at both the 2003 World Championships and the Greco-Roman division at the 2005 Veterans World Tournament. He has represented the United States in Germany, France, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Finland and the Middle East. When not working over opponents, Anderson works ‘the numbers’ in the Mortgage industry and lives in Sugar Grove.

Dale Gross has coached at the junior college level for a dozen years and brings extensive experience to the Chiefs’ program. Gross has served as an assistant and head coach at Waubonsee over six different seasons beginning in 1996. In those years with the Chiefs he helped guide 35 wrestlers to the NJCAA Finals where 12 earned All-American status, including National Champion Ray Stephens in 2006.

Gross also spent five years at Harper College where he assisted a Hawks’ program that was National Champions in 2001 and placed in the top four the other four seasons as well. During that time 48 wrestlers qualified for the National Finals with 22 reaching All-American status with Gross’ assistance. Prior to coaching in the collegiate ranks, Gross served as a head coach at the prep level in south Florida for six years and has developed strong recruiting connections in that area. Over half the All-Americans and both National Champions he has helped guide are from the ‘Sunshine’ state.

Gross earned a Master’s degree in Educational Computing and Technology from Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida. He is currently a computer teacher in Buffalo Grove. Gross has two sons, Matt and Drew, and lives in northwest suburban Crystal Lake.