The vision of starting a wrestling club in Derby, Kansas, was fulfilled in 1967 when Tom and Iris Faust laid down six pieces of carpet in their garage on South Kokomo Street and began practicing with three team members, one of whom was their son, Lew. After two years of practicing in the garage, the Derby Wrestling Club (DWC) program moved to Derby High School because Tom arranged to use the school facilities. To this day, the partnership with Derby High School remains in place and is a vital part of the DWC’s long-standing success. After 17 years of running the DWC, the Fausts decided it was time to hand over the reins of the program. Even after this occurred, Tom and Iris actively followed the DWC and DHS programs.
Over the years the DWC has grown into a consistent team of over 100 members per year and has continually maintained the status of a top 100 wrestling club in the nation. The DWC provides character-building opportunities and wrestling instruction to thousands of young athletes and continues to do so as one of the most talented and respected wrestling clubs in Kansas. In 2017, the Derby Wrestling Club celebrated its 50th year of operation. Only a handful of wrestling clubs in the state have reached that milestone. This reflects Tom and Iris’s vision to provide an outstanding and successful wrestling program in the Derby community.
Several years after Tom’s passing, Iris decided that she wanted to help keep the DWC moving in the right direction. Through discussion between Iris, the DWC, and the Faust family, this $500 annual scholarship was established to ensure the legacy of the DWC and Faust family. This scholarship will be awarded to a Derby High School student wishing to further his/her education, who has participated in wrestling, and who exhibits the positive qualities and character that wrestling provides.