WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN
the godfather of orland wrestling If you expanded the above title and said Jeff Patch is the godfather of CIF Northern Section wrestling, you’d be just as accurate. When Patch came to Orland High in 1971, he immediately changed the face and direction of wrestling at the school. His model became so successful, other wrestling programs began to emulate it. Besides being a great coach and leader, Patch said, “You need to advertise your sport. The kids work too damn hard not to get recognition.” All 44
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of that results in attracting more kids to the program, and Patch instituted unconventional moves to get more athletes to join the ranks of Orland Trojan Wrestling. Before Jeff Patch arrived in Orland, he wrestled in the Bay Area at College Park High School in Pacheco, California, a small town not unlike Orland in terms of numbers. Patch followed Chico State standout wrestler Mike Simpson, another
