Michael Wakim Jr
Founder and President
Michael is a graduate of McCluer North High School where he wrestled from 1997-2000. He was an assistant coach from 2002-2007. He would leave coaching to compete in college at Missouri Baptist University. Michael eventually received his bachelor’s in communication from Lindenwood University.
He returned to McCluer North to continue his coaching career and in 2015 he accepted a teaching and coaching position at Hickman High School in Columbia Missouri. A year later he was hired as the Head Wrestling Coach at Battle High School also in Columbia.
In the spring of 2018, he had the idea for the Wonder Woman Girls Wrestling tournament. After 4 successful years of tournaments Michael moved the company to St. Louis. In the fall of 2022, he accepted a position at Lift For Life Academy Charter
School in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis. He is currently an assistant coach at LFLA and the Director of Wrestling operations. He lives with his crazy blind dog that inspired the original LLC Blind Dog
Industries.
Lee Furnace Jr.
Lee Furnace Jr. is an educator, coach, nonprofit leader, and advocate for young people. A native of North St. Louis County, Lee has devoted more than two decades to developing young people through education, athletics, mentorship, and community service.
A graduate of Lindenwood University, Lee earned a degree in Human Service Agency Management and Sports Management and competed in both football and wrestling. He later earned his K–12 teaching certification in Physical Education and Health and a Master of Education in Health and Physical Education.
Lee founded Major Decision Wrestling Club, a St. Louis-based organization that served more than 400 young athletes through wrestling, mentorship, character development, educational opportunities, community service, and travel. His work has continued through leadership roles in education, nonprofit organizations, summer programming, and athletics, including Aim High St. Louis and Burr Oak Summer Day Camp. He currently serves at The Principia School as a physical education teacher and head wrestling coach, with additional responsibilities in health, outdoor education, track and field, and student programming.
As Vice President of the Wonder Women of Wrestling Foundation, Lee has helped develop and expand the Foundation’s scholarship program. What began in 2023 with $3,000 awarded to three essay contest winners has grown to $15,000 in scholarship awards in 2026, with $20,000 planned for 2027. The program now includes the Scholarship Essay Contest, Scholar-Athlete Award, Community Service Award, and President’s Choice Award, supported through community donations and corporate sponsorships.
Lee’s philosophy is simple:
“Wrestling is the vehicle, but people are the purpose.”
He believes that every relationship transfers something and that coaches, educators, and community leaders have a responsibility to be intentional about what they transfer to the next generation
Megan Klien
Secretary
Abe Raziq
Officer
Lee Furnace Jr.
Vice President
Lee Furnace Jr. is an educator, coach, nonprofit leader, and advocate for young people. A native of North St. Louis County, Lee has devoted more than two decades to developing young people through education, athletics, mentorship, and community service.
A graduate of Lindenwood University, Lee earned a degree in Human Service Agency Management and Sports Management and competed in both football and wrestling. He later earned his K–12 teaching certification in Physical Education and Health and a Master of Education in Health and Physical Education.
Lee founded Major Decision Wrestling Club, a St. Louis-based organization that served more than 400 young athletes through wrestling, mentorship, character development, educational opportunities, community service, and travel. His work has continued through leadership roles in education, nonprofit organizations, summer programming, and athletics, including Aim High St. Louis and Burr Oak Summer Day Camp. He currently serves at The Principia School as a physical education teacher and head wrestling coach, with additional responsibilities in health, outdoor education, track and field, and student programming.
As Vice President of the Wonder Women of Wrestling Foundation, Lee has helped develop and expand the Foundation's scholarship program. What began in 2023 with $3,000 awarded to three essay contest winners has grown to $15,000 in scholarship awards in 2026, with $20,000 planned for 2027. The program now includes the Scholarship Essay Contest, Scholar-Athlete Award, Community Service Award, and President's Choice Award, supported through community donations and corporate sponsorships.
Lee's philosophy is simple:
“Wrestling is the vehicle, but people are the purpose.”
He believes that every relationship transfers something and that coaches, educators, and community leaders have a responsibility to be intentional about what they transfer to the next generation.
Megan Klien
Secretary
Abe Raziq
Officer
Tournament Staff
Jake Lapinski
Director of Teams Management
Jake has over 40 years of experience in the sport of wrestling as an athlete and or coach. He started wrestling when he was 5 years old. He was a three time state medalist and an undefeated state champion for Hazelwood East High School. He was a member of three state championship teams during his time at Hazelwood East. Jake wrestled collegiately for Meramec Community College and for the University of Missouri. He was a 1997 NJCAA National Wrestling All-American.Jake has over 20 years of high school coaching experience with 17 of them as a head coach. His McCluer North girls wrestling team competed to a 4th place finish at the Missouiri state wrestling championships in the inaugural year of girls wrestling as a sanctioned MSHSAA sport in 2019. Jake has been an educator at McCluer North HS for 16 years. He is happily married to Melanie and is the father of Joseph and Francine. Currently Jake runs the Francis Howell North junior Knights wrestling program.
Chris Kyle
Director of Marketing and Logistics
Chris Kyle Has been with the WWWF since 2020. He is the father of 10 year old twins, a City of St Charles MO resident, and former St Charles City Councilman. He grew up in south county, (St. Louis MO) where he graduated from Lindbergh High School, 1997. He then attended Lindenwood University as a student-athlete, wrestler, 1997-2001, was a 2x national qualifier, and an Academic All-American. During his last few years of college, he served as an assistant wrestling coach for Lindbergh High School, 2000-2004. After graduating LU he became a middle school teacher and the Head Assistant Wrestling Coach at Holt High School, 2004-2018. During his time at Holt the program had multiple state champions, state medalist, were 2x team State Champions, and 10x top 5 team State Championship finishers. Chris was a 10-time Assistant Wrestling Coach of the Year award winner. In 2018 he became the Head Girls Wrestling Coach of Holt High School, 2018-2022. The girls team were 2x top five team State Championship finishers and The Wonder Woman Team Champions in 2020. Chris is now coaching his own son’s team, currently in the little league circuit, developing the next generation of champions.