Chillem Named Head Coach For Wrestling!
With the departure of former Head Wrestling Coach Gary Papa, the Cougars of Camden County College have announced that John Chillem will be the next Head Coach for the Wrestling Program!
John Chillem previously served as an Assistant Coach and most recently as the Associate Head Coach for the Cougars for 4 years. As assistant coach, Chillem helped capture 3 Garden State Athletic Conference Championships, 3 Region XIX Championships, 1 Eastern District II Championship, 1 Eastern District II Runner-Up and developed 6 All-Americans and 1 National Champion. "We are excited to have Coach Chillem at the helm for the Cougars Wrestling Program. John has a tremendous vision for academic and athletic success for the program," states William Banks, Director of Athletics.
Chillem wrestled 4 years at Camden Catholic High School and was team captain as a senior. He played a key role each year in helping win 4 team state championship titles. He went on to wrestle 2 years at Gloucester County College where he earned Academic All-American honors in both years. He was also named team captain and became a national qualifier as a sophomore. While attending graduate school at Rowan University, Chillem again earned Academic All-American honors. He also became an NWCA All-American - the first in school history.
Coach Chillem takes great pride in the fact that he is in a position to help numerous young men grow into upstanding adults. Some years ago Chillem set the direction of what he refers to as his "Vocational Compass." He wrote - I want to assist youth in establishing a strong foundation with core values so that they may thrive in school, at home, and throughout life. In addition to being Head Coach, Chillem is an adjunct professor at the College and works as a school psychologist for the Pine Hill School District.