Criminal Coaches

Yuma High School wrestling coaches are all Bronze Level certified with USA Wrestling


Head Coach:            Walt Johnson is currently in his 11th year as the head coach at Yuma High.  Prior to this assignment, he was a varsity assistant at Kofa High School for 18 years.  Coach Johnson was involved in the freestyle program at Kofa for a number of years and formed the Chaingang Wrestling Club at Yuma High in 1995.  He has also coached the jr. high program at Gila Vista Jr. High for 32 of the past 34 years.  His jr. high teams have won 17 city championships, along with introducing the sport to many of the area's high school wrestlers. 

Assistant Coaches:

Francisco Macias:  Math teacher at Yuma High and varsity assistant. Coach Macias also coaches the feeder program at 4th Ave. Jr. High as well as the Chaingang wrestling club.  Yuma native and Yuma high grad.  Coach Macias will have three sons in the Criminal program this year.

Jeff Welsing:   Just completed his 4th year as a member of the Criminals Coaching Staff.  Two of those years were spent as a varsity assistant while the other two years were as a volunteer assistant.  Jeff also coached at Kaukauna High School in Kaukauna, WI for one year as a varsity assistant while fulfilling his internship requirements for college graduation.  The Criminal Wrestling Team attended a tournament at Kaukauna in 2003 as well.  He has been the wrestling coach and health teacher at Somerton Middle School in Somerton, AZ for the past four years.  Jeff has led the Cobras to two city titles in those four years.  He also coached a middle school team in Oshkosh, WI at Webster Stanley Middle School for five years while attending college.  Jeff started a summer wrestling program at Somerton Middle School and helps coach the Chain Gang Wrestling Club.

Volunteer Assistants:

Boone Smith:

Kirk Perkins:  Coach Perkins served as an assistant coach in the program for the past 4 years.  He recently decided to leave the teaching profession and is currently in the electrical contracting business.  He hopes to continue helping with the Crim program as time permits.