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Coach Keen (circa 1936). Photo Courtesy: cliffkeenwrestlingclub.com
Cliff Keen’s Half Century of Success
Cliff Keen’s Half Century of Success
by Weston Schroeder
As I looked through the spacious windows of the University of Michigan's Cliff Keen Arena, I couldn't help but wonder who the man behind the name was. As I recently discovered, Cliff Keen wasn't merely a renowned wrestler and coach, but a pioneer in the sport who left an unmistakable mark on wrestling and the athletes he trained. The story of how the Cliff Keen Arena came to bear his name is a testament to his legacy and the impact he had on the wrestling community.
Cliff Keen began his life on a farm in Oklahoma. He was a three-sport athlete in college, participating in football, track, and of course, wrestling. In wrestling, he was undefeated during his time at Oklahoma A&M (needs source). He then came to the University of Michigan to pursue a law degree, graduating in 1933 (needs source). After a few short years of part-time coaching, Keen quit his job at his law firm to take on a full-time coaching position at Michigan (needs source).
Keen coached from 1925-1970, spanning 45 years and 42 seasons. According to a 2021 Michigan Daily article, Keen had the longest tenure of any coach in University athletics history and holds the record for the longest career of any collegiate wrestling coach (Stone-Wheatley). Many recognize Keen as the greatest wrestling coach of all time, much in part because of the statistics he put up during his career. He led the team to 12 conference championships and 11 top-five NCAA championship finishes (needs source). He not only had team success but individual success as well; coaching 81 Big Ten Champions, 11 individual NCAA champion wrestlers, and 68 All-Americans to victory (needs source).
Beyond his success on the mat, Coach Keen left a lasting impact on his athletes with his famous coaching style. His experience gifted him with vast knowledge of the fundamentals, so he often performed demonstrations himself (needs source). He was also a big believer in developing his athletes’ character as well as how they performed, once quoted stating, "The fundamental that every successful wrestler must acquire, and which has great carry-over value after his student days, is self-discipline. From self-discipline stems self-confidence and belief in one's self. What greater lesson can a sport or a coach impart" ("Clifford P. Keen"). This groundbreaking concept led to great team chemistry and is one of the main reasons he was so influential on the Michigan Wrestling program (needs source). Even today, coaches try to mirror his teaching philosophies so they may have the same impact on the athletes as he did (needs source).
Further, Keen has been influential on the sport as a whole. He was the inventor of the first wrestling headgear which is now commonplace in every match (needs source). To add to this, the vast majority of wrestling teams wear Cliff Keen brand singlets while competing in their matches (needs source). His brand is very popular on the wrestling scene to this day. They sell everything from headgear to kneepads to customizable uniforms.
The Doors of Cliff Keen Arena, April 5, 2023, by Weston Schroeder.
The structure now known as the Cliff Keen Area has gone through multiple changes throughout the years transforming from a pool to an arena that now seats 1800 people. The arena used to be called Matt Mann Pool (1956-1988) and also had a brief intermission as Varsity Arena (1989-1990) before being dedicated to Coach Keen and becoming Cliff Keen Arena on Nov 15, 1990 (needs source). Cliff Keen Arena now hosts the Wrestling, Volleyball, and Men’s Gymnastics teams as well as formerly hosting the Women’s Gymnastics team.
All in all, the university couldn’t have chosen a better person to name the arena after, not only because of his accomplishments as a coach, but also because of the lasting legacy he left on the athletes, other coaches, and the program as a whole. Keen's impact can be seen through the pervasive use of his wrestling gear, his revolutionary style of coaching, and his many accomplishments and championships. According to the Internet Surname Database, the last name Keen comes from the Old English word “kene” meaning brave, fierce, or proud. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate name for the man Cliff Keen was and the man who made Michigan Wrestling into what it is today.
Works Cited
"Cliff Keen Arena." University of Michigan Athletics. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://mgoblue.com/sports/2017/6/16/cliff-keen-arena.aspx
"Coach Keen." cliffkeenwrestlingclub.com, https://www.cliffkeenwrestlingclub.com/about/coach-keen/. 3 Apr. 2023.
Engel, A. (2023, February 2).
"Cliff Keen, from OSU roots to Michigan legend." Ocolly.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.ocolly.com/sports/cliff-keen-from-osu-roots-to-michigan-legend/article_3316227e-a27f-11ed-a3de-d7b468479c51.html
"Clifford P. Keen." Cliff Keen Athletic. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.cliffkeen.com/pages/coach
"Keen." The Internet Surname Database. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Keen
Schroeder, Weston. Exterior photograph of Cliff Keen Arena. 3 Apr. 2023. Author's personal collection.
Stone-Wheatley, Maddy. "Cliff Keen: Tales of a Michigan Legend." Michigan Daily, January 25, 2021. https://www.michigandaily.com/sports/cliff-keen-tales-michigan-legend/ Accessed 24 April 2023.
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