"If you know wrestling, I’ve been told by several people you got to look up where Rio Grande City is on the map," said Rio Grand City head wrestling coach, Ron Pratt.

Last weekend, Rio Grande City wrestling coach Ron Pratt was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Texas Chapter for a lifetime achievement in wrestling. Pratt is the first person from the Valley to be selected for that prestigious induction.

"I was dumfounded, I didn't expect to be selected, I didn't expect to be nominated. To be nominated was just an honor in itself and when I got selected it still hasn't hit me," said Pratt.

"I remember I had asked him, what would you want to accomplish more, he told me into the hall of fame and I think it's really amazing he's the only coach in the Valley but I think it's really deserving since all the work he's put in is paying off," Dayana Gonzalez, Rio Grande City junior wrestler said.

Ron Pratt has run the wrestling program at Rio Grande City high school for the past 23 years. Despite never competing in the sport, he decided to take on the challenge of coaching it.

“I spent a lot of money on books and videos and going to camps and learning and asking questions and little by little I added assistant coaches that had a little bit more knowledge and they taught me along the way and it just kind of snowballed after that”, says Pratt.

26 District championship and 3 Regional championships later, RGC is known for the success of their wrestling program, all thanks to coach Pratt.

“I’m proud, I’m proud of the program we built and a lot of the recognition really belongs with the kids. I’m proud of my assistant coaches who’ve gone on to become head coaches but they all give me a lot of respect."

Gonzalez expressed about Pratt, “very single practice he’s encouraging us, he’s telling us to put in the work. He’s always dedicating to us, committing to us, putting a lot of time into us and I think that’s what he’s successful in everything he does."

Coach Pratt plans to retire next year, finishing off years of success at Rio Grande City.

Pratt says, “Oh I’m going to miss it tremendously, it’s going to be hard to walk away but I know that I left it better than I found it."