Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) Director of Athletics Jason Holcombe is the recipient of the 2024 Walt Hennebaul Man of the Year Award. The honor, sponsored by the Gwinnett County Takedown Club, is presented to an individual who has significantly enhanced the sport of wrestling. “I am extremely honored to win this award,” Holcombe shares. “What Mr. Hennebaul and his entire family have meant to the wrestling community here in Georgia is truly unmeasurable.”

     Hennebaul, a co-founder of the Gwinnett County Takedown Club, National Wrestling Hall of Fame member, and co-founder of both the Multi-County Wrestling Officials and the Metro Atlanta Wrestling Officials Association, is a dedicated figure in Georgia’s wrestling community.

     Bud Hennebaul, Walter Hennebaul’s son, is the vice president and board member of the Atlanta Takedown Association. He says Holcombe is a worthy recipient of the award. “I have known Jason since his early years as a high school wrestler, and I have watched him grow as a successful coach and administrator,” Bud Hennebaul says. “He genuinely cares about the student-athletes and the coaches. When GCPS hired Jason, many people were happy to see him return to the county where he grew up. He is a difference maker.”

    Holcombe says wrestling changed his life. He explains, “It brought dedication, passion, and mental toughness to my life at a very young age. On the mat, I was just an average wrestler, but those life lessons and team-building skills would forever change me for the future. I hope to one day influence others to give back as much as Walt Hennebaul and his family have given to wrestling.”

     Holcombe will be presented with the award on Saturday, April 6, at the Venue at Friendship Springs in Flowery Branch.