Portland Parks & Recreation honored longtime Peninsula Wrestling Club coach and North Portland icon Roy Pittman in late February at Peninsula Park Community Center.
The event celebrated the Peninsula Park Wrestling program and honored the legendary coach Pittman as part of our Black History Month celebration.
Focused more on the process of growth and risk-taking than on winning, Pittman has worked with over 60,000 young men and women. Many of them have won state, regional and national titles. Peninsula Wrestling Club alumna and Milwaukie High School graduate Kelsey Campbell took part in the 2012 London Olympics women’s freestyle wrestling competition.
Coach Roy Pittman, high school state champion, collegiate wrestling champion, Olympian, coach, mentor, motivator, inspirational speaker and dedicated community advocate, worked for Portland Parks & Recreation for more than 30 years.
In 1970 he founded the Peninsula Wrestling Club, and helped place Portland and PP&R on the national radar. Coach Pittman retired in 2000, but stayed active with the Peninsula Wrestling Club, continuing nearly half a century of work.
Coach Pittman continues to rent out space from Portland Parks & Recreation to run the wrestling program.
“Coach is an inspiration to all with his tireless dedication to youth and their families,” says Debbie Harris, PP&R recreation coordinator. “He has served Portland for five decades through his unwavering inspiration to the sport of wrestling; he reaches out to all, and has made his spectacular wrestling program a nationally recognized model of excellence.”
Coach Pittman is lauded for his unwavering dedication to help youths overcome any financial, transportation or other challenges and make sure that anyone who is interested can participate in his programs.
The East Gym at PeninsulaParkCommunity Center was dedicated and named for Coach Pittman in August of 2007.
Pittman has held wrestling practices for youth at PeninsulaParkCommunity Center five days a week year around. His wrestlers compete in out-of-state tournaments, and he holds an annual wrestling summer camp.
“Like” PeninsulaParkCommunity Center on Facebook to keep up with the most current information on our Centennial activities. We’ll post event information, historic photos, articles, details on upcoming activities, and more. You can find the Peninsula Park Community Center Facebook page at www.facebook.com/peninsulaparkcc.
For more information, call 503-823-5300 or visit portlandparks.org.
