03/31/2023
Growing up in Bay Shore New York, I was surrounded by men of great character. The Mr: Knapp, Leggio, Hubbard, and Costello ran our KID wrestling program and devoted their time to helping kids wrestle. You can't put a price on the time spent helping your community. Our kids are our community and they need leaders to be examples of great character and effort. All of these men had a first man in, and last man out approach to helping all of us, kids.
Mom and Dad. They're not second by any means. Between football (BYA), Baseball (BS-B LL), and BSD KID wrestling, we were a year-round sports family. We loved every second with our parents and brothers. My parents never stepped on the coach's toes. They were supportive and reflective. We were very successful but the few times we lost we learned valuable lessons that carry through to this day. The ability to work together as a team builds a stronger community. Mom and Dad are always number one.
Lastly, teammates can make or break the chemistry of the team. If we demonstrate unity and compassion for our teammates we can find a higher gear when times get tough. The saying there is strength in numbers is true. Between the camaraderie and competition in the practice room, to the road trips for competitions, the time spent with your teammates should be a bonding experience. To this day, I'm close with many of my teammates and appreciate every one of them.
As you can see, I was lucky to be born and raised in Bay Shore, my hometown. We live in Florida now but the memories as both an athlete and coach in Bay Shore will last a lifetime. Find a way to build a strong wrestling community in your town. Be inclusive and reach back as far as you can in the archives to track down names. Your alumni nights should be a yearly celebration. Enjoy.
Workout: 4 rounds of 25 reps
1. burpees
2. vertical squat jumps (hands behind your head)
3. Hand-release push-ups
4. Bear Crawl (every eight feet equals a rep)
Wrestling:
100 Med ball slams/snap downs to pe*******on step
100 Med ball backstep and slam ball