THE GARY NARBER INTERVIEW
by Don Lehman


1964-65 West York Varsity Wrestling Team
▪ YCIAA League Wrestling Champions
▪ YCIAA Sectional Team Champions
Front Row (L-R) Jeff Linebaugh, Gary Carbaugh, Dana Luckenbaugh,
Darryl "Smokey" Dennis, Burton Snyder, Steve Kunkle, Tom DeLong.
Back Row (L-R) Head Coach John T. Toggas, Jack Hershberger, Don Narber,
Fred Lehman, Chuck Bostic, Gary Narber, William Wiehe.

THE GARY NARBER BIO


  ▪ West York Wrestling's Gary Narber... graduated in 1965.  Gary wrestled in the 1962-63 season at the famed Hughesville High School under National Wrestling Hall of Fame, District IV Wrestling Hall of Fame and Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame coach, Thurman 'Pete' Wolf.  Gary then moved and transferred to West York during the 1963-64 wrestling season and proceeded to win the 1964 YCIAA Sectional Championship at 180lbs. under former West York Coach and National Wrestling/Elizabethtown College Hall of Famer, Dr. Ken Ober.  Gary went on to win another YCIAA Sectional Championship at heavyweight in 1965 under West York HS National Hall of Famer, coach John T. Toggas.  The 1964-65 West York Wrestling Team won the 1965 YCIAA League Championship, as well as the 1965 YCIAA Sectional Team Title!  1965 was also the year that York County gained its first PIAA State Wrestling Champion with 112lb. Dana Luckenbaugh of West York!  Gary Narber was President of the West York Wrestling Booster Club in 1985 and 1986.

  Gary is married to WY Grad, Bonnie, and they have a son, Bob, who was an excellent wrestler and football player for West York High School ('84-'86).  Bob Narber (married to Shelly Ketterman Narber) wrestled for Kevin McCleary while at West York HS.  Gary and Bonnie also have a daughter, Steph, who was a wrestling manager for West York ('86-'88).  Gary and Bonnie have three grandsons and one granddaughter in the program.  Grandsons - Ryan Narber (6th), Andy Sprigle (7th), and Kyle Narber (8th) - are all wrestlers at West York! Granddaughter - Samantha "Sami" Sprigle - is a wrestling manager at West York High School!  Bob and Shelly Narber also have a daughter, Alyssa Narber (3rd grade @ Trimmer) who logs in countless hours in the "many gyms" supporting her brothers and cousin!

  Gary has two younger brothers, who were also wrestlers.  Don Narber, a 1967 West York graduate, was a 1967 YCIAA Sectional Wrestling Champion, a 1967 District III runner-up and Southeastern Regional third-place finisher at 180lbs.  Don Narber was also the first West York Wrestler inducted into the Booster Club Outstanding Wrestler Club.  Don Narber went on to wrestle at Elizabethtown College under Dr. D. Kenneth Ober, a former West York Wrestling Coach ('63-'64).  Gary's other brother, Ken Narber, wrestled at Dover High School under former West York 2-time District Wrestling Champion, Leon Senft.  Ken Narber wrestled for Dover High School in 1971 and 1972... and, wrestled westyorkwrestlingalumni.com owner and webmaster, Don Lehman - * "twice" in 1972!  * Ken Narber & Don Lehman wrestled each other at the... ('72 Dover/West York dual meet and the YCIAA '72 Sectional Finals).

  ∙ Don Lehman, owner and webmaster of westyorkwrestlingalumni.com asked Gary Narber for a Q & A interview, and Gary graciously accepted!

Don Lehman
Don Lehman
Webmaster, Archivist & Owner of westyorkwrestlingalumni.com

THE GARY NARBER INTERVIEW
by:
Don Lehman
Don Lehman
Webmaster, Archivist & Owner of westyorkwrestlingalumni.com

DL - Gary, thank you for agreeing to an interview!  I like to inform the current West York Wrestling Alumni base as to "what's going on" with their former brothers, as well as getting a different perspective on this great sport from wrestlers of the "past!"  What are you up to these days and what keeps you busy and relaxed?
GN - I  am currently working for IDG as a VMI Rep.  This is my retirement job... after 30 years at Caterpillar.  I enjoy the time I have with my children and my five grandchildren.  I'm not too busy, but I'm totally relaxed spending 42 years with my wife Bonnie (high school sweethearts).
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DL - Gary, you wrestled for three different National Wrestling Hall of Fame coaches during your years in high school!  First, at famed Hughesville, PA High School in District IV under Thurman 'Pete' Wolf, then, moving to West York for a year under Dr. D. Kenneth Ober... then, finally - your senior year under John T. Toggas.  What stands out in your mind when you think of the wrestling and life teachings from these great Hall of Famer's?
GN - I look back at how fortunate I was to have been mentored by such great coaches.  All of them had a concern for your personal well being as well as your success on the mat.  I feel one of the best things you learn from coaches (like this) is that hard work does produce winning results!  I remember running the halls of the schools for conditioning (I still hate to run!) and sitting in sweat boxes (in rubber suits) to make weight.
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DL - Which wrestling practices were the toughest in those three different settings?
GN - I don't think there really was a difference.
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DL - Did you participate in any other sports while at Hughesville and West York... and, did you lift weights or run in the "off-season" during the sixties?
GN - I played football at both schools (Hughesville & West York).  Since I grew up on a farm, I got all the "extra" off season training I needed!
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DL - Gary, you won two YCIAA Sectional titles while at West York High School, a great accomplishment.  Can you think of an opponent that gave you the toughest match either during the YCIAA season or the Sectional/District post-season?  What was the outcome?
GN - Don Lau - Heavyweight - Hanover - Sectionals & York County Champion.
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DL - What was your signature move or moves during your wrestling days in the sixties?
GN - Takedown - Double Leg... and I liked working off of one knee.   Escape - Barrel Roll & Stand Up.  Pinning Hold - Half-Nelson and Crotch.
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DL - Gary, your senior year at West York High School brought - a YCIAA Team Championship, a YCIAA Sectional Team Championship with 7 individual champions, and, York County's 1st PIAA State Wrestling Champion... the late Dana Luckenbaugh @ 112lbs.  This... during Coach John T. Toggas's 1st year at West York!  That '65 practice room had to be fantastic!  Do you have a funny story that you remember from that storied '64-'65 season?
GN - It had to be Dana Luckenbaugh's loose and carefree attitude.  When Dana was in a tournament competition, he would sleep or read comic books!  NO pre-match jitters for him!
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DL - Your brother Don Narber had a great wrestling career at West York... just missing out on a District III Championship in 1967.  Don went on to wrestle for Dr. D. Kenneth Ober at Elizabethtown College.  Did you have any aspirations of going on to wrestle at the next level?
GN - NO
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DL - Gary, how has this great sport of wrestling changed over the years since you put on the shoes and were on that famed mat?
GN - Well, there certainly has been a lot of years that have gone by since I wrestled my first match!  And, there has been a lot of changes such as better weight and diet control and now there are two state champions at each weight instead of one champion.  There are also many wrestling coaches who are not teachers in the school system.  I think that many of the young wrestlers are much more skilled at an earlier age!  But, when I started - you started wrestling in 9th grade... not at six years old.   I don't feel the students support the sport as in years past - but that might be because fans like a WINNER!  The greatest thing about the sport of wrestling is that it is a TEAM sport... where you can excel as an INDIVIDUAL.
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DL - If we could bring back that 1964-65 West York Championship Wrestling Team, and put it up against teams of the modern era... how do you think you would do?
GN - Well, most of us would have to loose 50-100 lbs. to make weight, but I think we could still kick butt!!
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DL - Your brothers Don and Ken wrestled, your son Bob wrestled, and now... you have three grandsons that wrestle!  How proud are you of everyone over the years and what is it like to sit in the stands and watch those grandsons at West York these days?
GN - I am proud of my whole family.  I feel my brothers (Don & Ken) and my son Bob have all become good men, fathers and friends... and part of that is due to the sport of wrestling.  As far as my grandsons - it is just a thrill!  I would also like to mention my daughter Steph (Sprigle) managed three years with WY Coach Kevin McCleary and now my granddaughter  Samantha (Sprigle) is a West York Senior High Wrestling manager.  I was a little concerned in the beginning of this year that Andrew Sprigle was not going out, but he did and I think we got him hooked.  So I hope to see Kyle Narber, Andrew Sprigle and Ryan Narber - all on the West York Senior High Wrestling Team in the 2014-2015 season!
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DL - Did you work out with any of your brothers while you were in school... and, did you give any tips of wisdom to your son Bob once he was at West York in the mid-eighties under coach Kevin McCleary, my former WY teammate in the early seventies?
GN - No, we were all at different weights.  So, any kind of work-out was a form of (TAP-OUT) "brotherly love style!"  I think one of the things I wanted to give to my son Bob was that you wrestle six minutes - win or lose, and that it is as important to lose "well" as it is to win "well!"  I do believe he always followed that advice.
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DL - Do you see any "mat" resemblances to you as well as brothers Don and Ken - when you watch the grandsons wrestle?  Do they ask for any advice from you?
GN - I do see my brother Don and son Bob in Kyle's matches... and the other two boys are still working on their styles.  When it comes to advice, they don't ask - I just give it!
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DL - Gary, is there anything you would like to see changed or improved at West York that would help the athletes of tomorrow excel and grow with the great sport of wrestling?
GN - The one thing that really bothers me is our team warm-ups (pants).  If you are going to be winners, the first thing is to look like winners, not gray sweat pants!  Remember the swagger of the teams of past - spotlights on the center of the mat - how about a wrestling room?  NOT the social hall at the local church.  I hope Coach Gross sees the potential of some great kids, as well as supportive parents and fans... that could revive that old BULLDOG PRIDE!
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DL - Gary, thank you for taking the time to share some memories and thoughts from your days at West York High School!  I want to also thank you and Bonnie for your generous 2010 contribution to the West York Wrestling Alumni.com website.  I wish you and your family the best during the upcoming mat seasons!
GN - Thank you, Don... for keeping the DOG'S memories of a truly first class program alive - and just maybe - bringing it back to the future - GARY.




1964-65 WEST YORK VARSITY WRESTLING TEAM
▪ YCIAA League Wrestling Champions
▪ YCIAA Sectional Team Champions
Front Row (L-R) Jeff Linebaugh, Gary Carbaugh, *Dana Luckenbaugh,
Darryl "Smokey" Dennis, Burton Snyder, Steve Kunkle, Tom DeLong.
Back Row (L-R) Head Coach John T. Toggas, Jack Hershberger, Don Narber,
Fred Lehman, Charles Bostic, Gary Narber, William Wiehe.
* Dana Luckenbaugh won the 1965 PIAA State Wrestling Championship @ 112lbs.


∙ 1965 YCIAA Sectional Championship Wrestling Team
WEST YORK AREA HIGH SCHOOL
Front (L-R) Tom DeLong, Darryl "Smokey" Dennis, Dana Luckenbaugh,
Gary Carbaugh, Jeff Linebaugh.
Back (L-R) Coach John T. Toggas, Chuck Bostic, Don Narber, Gary Narber.

(West York had 9 wrestlers in the '65 Section finals with 7 champions!!)
∙ Jeff Linebaugh (95lbs.), Gary Carbaugh (103lbs.), Dana Luckenbaugh (112lbs.)
Darryl "Smokey" Dennis (120lbs.), Tom DeLong (138lbs.), Charles Bostic (180lbs.)
Gary Narber WY (Heavyweight).  This is a West York Wrestling Record.

THE GARY NARBER PAGE

Gary Narber is listed on the:
∙ Coach JT Toggas Top 60 All-Time Wrestling Team
∙ westyorkwrestlingalumni.com All-Time Wrestling Dream Team
∙ 1964 West York Varsity Football Page


West York's Don Narber '67
∙ West York Wrestling's Don Narber, Gary's brother - was a 1967 YCIAA Sectional Champion, 1967 District III runner-up and a 1967 Southeastern Regional 3rd Place finisher!  Don was West York Wrestling's 1st awarded Outstanding Wrestler in 1967.  Don went on to wrestle at Elizabethtown College under former West York Head Wrestling Coach, Dr. D. Kenneth Ober.

∙ Don Narber as part of the '63-'64 West York Junior High Wrestling Champions!