Bob Buzzard competed at East Waterloo High School in Iowa, and then at Iowa State University. He was a two-time Big 8 Champion, and won the Midlands Tournament. In 1967 Buzzard was AAU freestyle champion. He made several US teams in both freestyle and Greco-Roman from 1967-72 and competed at the 1972 Olympics in Greco-Roman. Buzzard went into coaching, coaching first in Libertyville, Illinois. He later moved to North Salem, Oregon, coaching the high school and club programs there. He retired as head coach in 2012 but continued to help as an assistant coach.