Mr. Ludwig, to some, he’s a friend, to others, he’s a coach, or maybe even a former teacher. But let’s start from the beginning. Mr. Ludwig grew up in Latrobe, Fourth Ward. He was a part of a family of five. His favorite part of Latobe, well,” It was the four seasons, you know, in sports, and the whole package, it was just a great place. Closer stores. Although living in Latrobe, Mr. Ludwig went to Holy Family for eight years, and then moved to Greater Latrobe High School for the last four years. In high school, Ludwig participated in football, track, and wrestling. “Oh, it was great. I
loved sports.” After high school, Mr. Ludwig attended California State College, where he continued to stay involved in athletics and focused on his studies. College gave him the chance to grow not only as a student but also as a leader. The lessons he learned through sports—hard work, teamwork, and dedication—continued to shape him during these years.
After graduating, he found a job at Derry as a teacher and wrestling coach. “When I got out of college, I was looking for a job, and there was a job opening at Latrobe and Derry, and the one at Derry had the opportunity to coach also. So, I took the job.” At Derry, he taught industrial arts such as wood, metal, photography, graphic arts, and more. Alongside teaching, Ludwig was coaching the boys’ wrestling team. “When the opportunity came to coach wrestling, I really liked it. I liked trying to get kids prepared, going out, and coming back,” said Ludwig.
Mr. Ludwig had his inspirations to be a teacher. “First of all, my dad was a woodworker, so I like to show people how to do woodworking. So that just kind of let me into it, you know, and I loved taking people that don’t know a skill at all when teaching them a skill, like origami, or woodworking, or metal working.”Teaching allowed Ludwig to open a whole new world of possibilities to his students. While speaking to some of his former students, they shared their favorite Ludwig moment. “I remember in photography, we had to make pinhole cameras out of Quaker Oats, cans, and we would go around.
He gave us the freedom to go around, take pictures, and then we developed them,” said Mr. Basciano. Mrs. Hudson said, “I just remember him being really helpful when we were doing different things in CAD (Computer Aided Design) on the computer and different types of drawings. He was good at what he did.”
Wrestling was one of the biggest parts of Ludwig’s life, though. When asked what wrestling means to you, Ludwig responded, “Well, I think it just makes you a tough person, that you’re not gonna be, you know, easily persuaded. Your principles count, you know? So I think you just have a tough mind. You don’t mind working hard. And I think those two qualities let you be successful in life.”
After 35 years of teaching and 29 years of coaching, Mr. Ludwig moved to Greater Latrobe to be a substitute teacher. “Yeah, I had Mr. Porembka. I had him as a student over at Derry, and he kind of talked me into subbing.” Mr. Ludwig has been subbing for almost 20 years now. “It’s nice. I just have a tremendous respect for Latrobe.” While being a substitute for Latrobe, Mr. Ludwig has much to offer, one of such being a founder of the Girls Wrestling Team. “When the opportunity came three years ago to start a girls’ wrestling program, I didn’t see anybody who was going to do it, so I jumped at the moment.“
When interviewing girls from the wrestling team that Mr. Ludwig has coached, they had nothing but nice things to say about him. When asked if they had anything to say to Mr. Ludwig, Gabby Roman said, “Honestly, just thank you. I think he’s been one of my biggest supporters in wrestling. He’s always pushing me to do my best and wanting what’s best for me”. Some favorite Mr. Ludwig moments from wrestling were when he had his first Taco Bell taco with the team while driving home after the tournament. He has brought the team a lot of success throughout the season.
Mr. Ludwig has also created Greater Latrobe’s origami club, from gifting students origami to leaving little gifts in the classroom, he subs. “I love that so much, and he’s gotten me little gifts, art gifts too, just for inspiration to stay creative,” claims Mrs. Balko when asked about Mr. Ludwig. From Christmas trees to hearts, whatever the season may be, he is always creating and teaching something new.
Mr. Ludwig would say that his biggest accomplishment so far is “just being open-minded and friendly,” connecting with many students throughout the school and reconnecting with old friends, past students, and even new teachers. “I always enjoy having contact with another human being; it’s stimulating.” Some of Mr. Ludwig’s future plans include celebrating his 60th anniversary with his wife in Barbados in August as a vacation. “It’s been a pleasure being here. I enjoyed it. I’m gonna keep going as long as I can. I’m gonna be 82 in a week, and when you get to be that age, you never know what your future’s gonna be.”
Mr. Ludwig is a friend to all and open to meeting new people and being friends with anyone new. “I’ve known him for a very long time, even before I was in school, and he’s just a wonderful, wonderful person,” said Mr. Basciano.
“I just thank him for all his years of service, and for always being kind and positive and inspiring to students,” said Mrs. Balko
“He was very good at what he did,” claims Mrs. Hudson.
“Honestly, just thank you,” said Gabby Roman
Maybe that’s the best way to understand who Mr. Ludwig really is. He isn’t just the man who taught students how to sand a piece of wood smooth or develop a photograph in a darkroom. He isn’t just the coach who pushed wrestlers to dig deeper, work harder, and believe in themselves. He isn’t just the substitute teacher who leaves behind tiny origami creations on desks as quiet reminders that someone cares.
He is a steady presence in the hallway. The encouraging voice in the corner of the mat. The patient teacher is leaning over a computer screen, saying, “You’ve got this.” He is the reason a student tried something new, stuck with something difficult, or believed in themselves just a little bit more.
After 35 years of teaching, 29 years of coaching, and nearly 20 more years of substituting, Mr. Ludwig’s legacy isn’t measured in trophies, lesson plans, or years of service. It’s measured in people. In former students who still remember the freedom he gave them to create. In athletes who carry his lessons about toughness and principles into everyday life. In colleagues who describe him as “wonderful,” “kind,” and “inspiring.”
At 82 years old, he says, “It’s been a pleasure being here, I enjoyed it. I’m gonna keep going as long as I can.” It doesn’t sound like someone is slowing down. It sounds like someone who has found purpose — and refuses to let it go.
Mr. Ludwig grew up in Latrobe with “the four seasons, you know, in sports, and the whole package.” In many ways, he became part of that package himself — woven into the fabric of the community, a teacher, a coach, a founder, a mentor, and most importantly, a friend.
Mr. Ludwig is the kind of person who shows up — year after year, generation after generation — and leaves things better than he found them. And long after the final whistle blows, the last class ends, or the final origami heart is folded, his impact will still be there, living on in every student who learned not just a skill, but a lesson about hard work, kindness, and being open-minded. That might just be his greatest accomplishment of all.
