Our Coaches

Phil Bode

Coach Phil Bode is co-founder and director of the All Star Wrestling Club. This year, 2024, marks the 60th year for Coach Bode on the mat either as a wrestler or coach.

Coach Bode began wrestling as an 8th grader in 1964 at Algona Junior High School in Algona, Iowa. After working hard for two years, he landed a spot on the Algona varsity team as a junior. Coach Bode finished his high school career in 1969 as team captain, most valuable wrestler and state runner-up for the Iowa state champion Algona High School Bulldogs.

Recruited to Louisiana State University by National Wrestling Hall of Famer, Dale Ketelsen, Coach Bode made the Southeastern Conference Championship match an incredible four years in a row, winning championships as a sophomore at 167 pounds in 1971 and as a junior at 150 pounds in 1972. Coach Bode also finished second in the SEC as a freshman in 1970 in the 158 pound weight class and as a senior in 1973 at 150 pounds. Coach Bode finished his career as captain of the LSU wrestling team in 1973 and was also two-time NCAA Division I qualifier. After graduation in 1973, he was promoted to graduate assistant coach for the Tigers in 1973-74.

Following his coaching stint at LSU, Coach Bode either coached at, helped grow or even launched programs at ten high schools in the Baton Rouge metro area. High school programs initiated by Coach Bode include Redemptorist, Brusly, St. Amant, and Episcopal. Programs developed through Coach Bode's help include Baker, Zachary, East Ascension, Dutchtown, Live Oak, and Walker.

In 2000, Coach Bode co-founded the Ascension Wrestling Club which soon became one of the largest clubs in the state of Louisiana. The following year, Coach Bode was named the Louisiana USA Wrestling Man of the Year. In the spring of 2012, Coach Bode co-founded the All Star Wrestling Club.

In the twelve years at the helm of All Star Wrestling, Coach Bode has helped train numerous wrestlers who went on to be winners at the local level and state level. He has also coached wrestlers who have competed at regional and national competitions, where some club members have become champions and even been named All-Americans. Coach Bode has also coached multiple wrestlers who have continued to wrestle at the university level as well. With Coach Bode as the director of All Star Wrestling, any wrestler who comes through the door will have the opportunity to work out and learn from a living legend.

Ricky Zimmer

The new coach for the 2024-2025 USA Wrestling season for the All Star Wrestling Club is hardly a new coach when it comes to the sport of wrestling.

Coach Ricky Zimmer has been involved in either wrestling on the mat or coaching wrestling for better part of the past 50 plus years.

As a high schooler, Coach Zimmer wrestled at Holy Cross, placing fourth in the 127 pound weight class in 1968 and third in the 137 weight class in 1970.

Following his wrestling career, Coach Zimmer started coaching as an assistant coach in 1995 at Andrew Jackson High School in Chalmette, Louisiana. During the same time, Zimmer was also an assistant coach with the Viking Wrestling Club. Zimmer would be the assistant for AJHS for four years until he would become the head coach for the Colonels in 2000.

Coach Zimmer would be the head coach for Andrew Jackson High School from 2000 to 2005. He would also be the director for the St. Bernard Wrestling Club for the same time.

In 2005, Coach Zimmer would become the assistant coach for Fontainebleau High School in Mandeville, Louisiana. Zimmer would be an assistant for three years, before becoming the head coach of the Bulldog wrestling program in 2008. Coach Zimmer would be the head coach at Fontainebleau High wrestling team for seven seasons and also served as the athletic director for Fontainebleau from 2015 to 2019.

In 2019, Coach Zimmer left Fontainebleau for St. Paul's High School in Covington where he worked as an assistant coach for the Wolves until 2024. Zimmer also was an assistant for the Gator Wrestling Club and Wolfpack Wrestling Club during the same time.

In 2024, Coach Zimmer became an assistant coach for St. Michael the Archangel in Baton Rouge as well as becoming a co-head coach for the All Star Wrestling Club.

With all the experience that Coach Zimmer has as a coach, the young men and women who come to work out with the All Star Wrestling Club will have the opportunity to learn from an individual with tons of knowledge.

Dennis Parker

Coach Dennis Parker is no stranger to the local wrestling scene, either on the mat or in the coaching corner.

As a high schooler, Coach Parker was an outstanding wrestler at Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, including going 39-0 as a senior with 31 pins. Parker's undefeated season was topped as a gold medal winner at the City Championships and a LHSAA state championship in 1997. Coach Parker was also named the outstanding wrestler for the Baton Rouge All-Metro team as a senior.

Following his graduation from high school, Coach Parker took his talents to Colby Community College in Colby, Kansas. Parker was a member of the Trojans between 1997 and 1999 with the team winning a national championship in 1999 and Coach Parker placing fifth place at nationals.

After leaving Colby, Coach Parker wrestled at the University of Central Oklahoma from 1999 to 2002. Parker was a multi-year starter for the Bronchos, including wrestling on a team that won the Division II national championship in 2002.

F0llowing his wrestling career, Coach Parker started coaching locally at Central High School and was the head coach of the Wildcat wrestling team from 2020 to 2022. Coach Parker also was an assistant coach for All Star Wrestling before becoming the co-head coach of the program in 2024.

All the individuals who come to wrestle for the ASWC will definitely learn from one of the best mat wrestlers to come out of the state of Louisiana with Coach Parker.