Meet Coach Erik Duus: A Champion of Experience and Dedication

Sunnyvale Wrestling Club is proud to be led by one of the most accomplished and committed coaches in the region: Coach Erik Duus. With a decorated background in both wrestling and judo, Coach Duus brings over three decades of elite-level experience to the mat—instilling discipline, skill, and heart into every athlete he trains.

For the past decade, Duus has served as the head wrestling coach at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, where he also teaches Japanese. During this time, he has been instrumental in building a strong wrestling culture in the community. His coaching credentials also include serving as an assistant coach at Stanford University, where he helped develop collegiate athletes at the highest level.

A fierce competitor himself, Duus competed in Freestyle wrestling for over 20 years, earning a Japanese National Title, placing three times, and finishing as a 2x U.S. Open place winner. After college, he spent three years as a resident athlete at the legendary Foxcatcher Farms, competing nationally on the U.S. Freestyle circuit.

Coach Duus’s versatility extends beyond wrestling—he returned to Judo competition, qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2008, and has coached and competed in Judo at Stanford as well.

His roots run deep in the Bay Area. A standout at Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Duus finished top 8 in California—a feat at a time when only six wrestlers placed. He then wrestled at the University of Iowa under Dan Gable, and later transferred to Wisconsin to train under Olympic champion Dave Schultz.

With a rare blend of international experience, elite coaching pedigree, and deep community investment, Coach Duus is the heart of Sunnyvale Wrestling Club. His dedication to empowering young athletes both on and off the mat is what sets this program apart.

Sunnyvale is lucky to have him—and our wrestlers are stronger for it.