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Miami-Dade County School Board member Mary Blanco proffered agenda item B-6, recognizing Victor Balmeceda, during the board’s meeting of June 18.
Balmeceda, head wrestling coach at South Dade Senior High School, is quoted by student athlete Alex Hernandez as always saying, “what we do in life echoes in eternity.”
Having earned 27 state titles, 21 regional championships, 28 district championships, and coaching 86 individual state champions, Balmeceda is the most decorated wrestling coach in Florida history. For the past 31 years, Coach Balmeceda has led the South Dade Senior High School Buccaneers wrestling team to victory since 1994. This year, after countless titles and national media coverage, Balmeceda has announced his official retirement from the ring at South Dade Senior High School.
Beginning his career as a star wrestler at Southwest Miami Senior High School, Balmeceda won the Greater Miami Athletic Conference (GMAC) championship as a junior and finished 32-1 as a senior. He continued to excel at the next level, becoming a JUCO All-American at Chowan College, and an NCAA Division I tournament qualifier at Appalachian State University.
With Balmeceda as coach, the legendary South Dade Buccaneers have amassed an extraordinary athletic record of achievements in wrestling. In 2008, the Buccaneers “Beat the Streak” by defeating Brandon High School in a nationally televised match, ending the longest winning streak in sports history of 459 consecutive match wins, capturing national media recognition.
Additionally, the team has been nationally recognized for the “Most Takedowns in a Single Dual Meet” by Wrestling USA Magazine. Coach Balmeceda was inducted into the Florida chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014 for his truly unparalleled efforts and successes in the high school wrestling world.
With Coach Balmeceda at the helm, South Dade Senior High School has acquired 18 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Individual Bracketed Tournament State Championships; 7 FHSAA Dual Meet State Championships; 132 Individual State Placers; 25 Individual National Champions; 20 Individual National Runners-Up; 119 Individual High School All Americans; 19 Individual College Level National Champions; and 35 Individual College Level All Americans.
Balmeceda’s legacy will continue outside of the ring. While retiring as head coach of the Buccaneers Wrestling Team, he plans to continue his 31-year career in the classroom at South Dade Senior High School as an ESE teacher.
Coach Balmeceda has been married to his high school sweetheart, Susan, for 29 years. They have two sons, Brevin and Gavin.
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