Photo provided by Billie Ashley. Pictured left to right: Coaches Mike Stump, Matt Ashley and Joe Burton.
The camaraderie and friendship of those in local West Virginia sports bears no grudge but deep respect across county lines which was no more apparent than in the coaching relationship/friendship of former Wrestling Coaches Mike Stump and John Matthew (Matt) Ashley. Both were men of fierce competitive attitudes, and both have since passed away, Coach Matt Ashley in 2019 and more recently, Coach Mike Stump in the spring of 2024.
Before Mike Stump passed away he nominated both Wrestling Coaches and friends, Matt Ashley and Joe Burton, in October of 2023 for the “Lifetime Service to Wrestling” Awards, which both received and will be honored at a banquet in Charleston, West Virginia.
Billie Ashley, widow of Matt shared the letter she received from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum which reads as follows:
Dear Billie:
It is a great honor to be recognized for serving our great sport. We are glad Matt chose to invest his time in things that matter–wrestling matters to us at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. We appreciate all he did for his community and for wrestling.
The West Virginia Chapter nominated Matt to receive the “Lifetime Service to Wrestling” Award. We are happy to announce the Board of Governors has selected him for this great honor.
This award acknowledges that Matt’s life had been significant and he is leaving behind a benchmark and legacy that others surely will follow. He will have a special place in the history of wrestling and that place is the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, Stillwater, Oklahoma.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the State Chapter of West Virginia will honor the Class of 2024.
Matt left his family, friends and wrestling fans a valuable asset…a respectable name and reputation for serving a sport that we all have learned to respect and love.
Yours in wrestling,
Lee Roy Smith
Executive Director
Congratulations to the Ashley family and Coach Joe Burton!
