New York Teams Spend Successful Father's Day Weekend at Ragin Raisins Duals in PA

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

It may not have been the traditional Father’s Day with special breakfasts and backyard barbecues, but it was a great weekend nonetheless for several New York wrestling dads at the Ragin Raisins Duals in Erie, PA.

For the combined Superior Wrestling Academy/Finger Lakes Wrestling Club (FLWC) Red and Gold teams, it was an opportunity for over 20 families to camp out and enjoy swimming and other activities in the great outdoors.

And of course, there was the action on the mat as well.

G2 World Wrestling Academy co-owner Adam Burgos said the fathers on his squad were happy with the present they were given.

“We had a great weekend of wrestling and as an added bonus the fathers at G2 received a second place finish from our wrestlers and sons,” Burgos said.

G2 earned runner up status in the youth division after facing Georgia’s undefeated Team Minion, which featured state finalists at every weight, in the championship dual. The Rochester-area squad went 6-2 overall on the way to the finals, despite yielding seven forfeits in each meet.

“We got pins when we needed to get them,” Burgos said. “We were fortunate the kids came through the way they did. Everybody just battled and battled tough all weekend long.”

According to Burgos, Frankie Gissendanner and the Diakomihalis brothers, Yianni and Greg, all picked up seven wins for G2 while the Kropman trio – Parker, Cooper and Max – registered five victories apiece.

Like G2, another Empire State squad compiled a 6-2 mark on the weekend – Superior/FLWC Red.

“We saw some really tough competition, which is what we wanted,” said coach Gary Ferro. “Our only losses were to the first (Team Minion) and third (Ragin Raisins Green, PA) place teams and we beat the second place team (G2), which was a great win for us. I’m really proud of the kids – they worked really hard and when you add in the fun we had camping together as families, it was a great, great experience.”

While the coach emphasized that the squad competed well throughout the lineup, he mentioned standout performances from Theo Powers (six wins at 108 pounds), Kelan McKenna (undefeated) and Ethan Ferro (seven victories at 68).

“There’s so much I could say about Theo,” Ferro said. “He showed mental toughness and stepped up against some very good competition throughout the weekend. And I was very impressed with Kelan as usual. He brought it like he always does. Ethan had a big 10-5 win over a good kid from Journeymen who is a few years older than him. He really enjoyed that one.”

While G2, Superior/FLWC and Journeymen all enjoyed competition in the youth division, Cobra Wrestling Academy entered teams in both the youth and high school brackets, taking fourth and fifth overall, respectively.

“We were looking to get some quality matches in and we definitely accomplished that,” said Cobra Executive Director Keith Maute. “There was some great wrestling. We weren’t the only team missing guys, but we had to forfeit a lot of matches – 7 forfeits (in 20 weighs) on our youth team and five on the high school side. That didn’t help, but the kids we did have obviously wrestled really well to make up for it.”

Maute noted that three of his grapplers — Carson Alberti, Kellen Devlin and Dakota Gardner — went unbeaten on his younger squad, while Dylan Caruana and Nick Mitchell each lost a single bout in the high school division.

Also participating in the high school action were an additional trio of Empire State teams – Falconer, WRCL and Excelsior United.

“A few years ago, Cobra was the only New York team at this event,” Burgos said. “There were quite a few this year. It’s great to see that even in the summer New York is sending teams out to compete and improve. It was a phenomenal weekend.”

For dual-by-dual results, see below (NY teams in bold italics):

YOUTH DIVISION

ROUND 1

Superior/FLWC Red 60 – Mountain Grapplers 23

RRWC Green 57 – Journeymen 22

Team Minion 42 – AWC 37

G2 45 – RRWC TD 24

Cobra 61 – Superior/FLWC Gold 21

ROUND 2

Team Minion 63 – Superior/FLWC Red 22

AWC 62 – Mountain Grapplers 21

G2 36 – Cobra 24

Lancaster 46 – FLB 33

RRWC TD 58 – Superior/FLWC Gold 28

ROUND 3

RRWC Green 57 – Superior/FLWC Red 34

Lancaster 50 – Superior/FLWC Gold 31

Gladiator 50 – FLB 24

Journeymen 52 – Mountain Grapplers 22

Team Minion 51 – Cobra 16

ROUND 4

G2 37 – Lancaster 26

Journeymen 59 – Superior/FLWC Gold 21

Cobra 42 – FLB 21

RRWC TD 48 – Gladiator 42

RRWC Green 38 – AWC 34

ROUND 5

Cobra 41 – Lancaster 27

RRWC Green 52 – FLB 21

G2 38 – Gladiator 34

AWC 52 – Journeymen 31

Team Minion 81 – Mountain Grapplers 3

ROUND 6

Cobra 54 – RRWC TD 27

FLB 43 – Superior/FLWC Gold 26

Gladiator 46 – Lancaster 27

RRWC Green 63 – Mountain Grapplers 18

Superior/FLWC Red 42 – G2 22

ROUND 7

Gladiator 59 – Superior Gold/FLWC 18

G2 32 – FLB 12

Superior/FLWC Red 60 – Journeymen 16

AWC 44 – Lancaster 24

ROUND 8

G2 46 – Superior/ FLWC Gold 21

Lancaster 51 – RRWC TD 32

Gladiator 48 – Mountain Grapplers 38

Team Minion 54 – RRWC Green 36

ROUND 9

Team Minion 56 – J-Men 18

RRWC TD 48 – FLB 27

Superior/FLWC Red 40 – AWC 30

Cobra 42 – Gladiator 37

ROUND 10

Mountain Grapplers 45 –FLB 19

RRWC TD 39 – Journeymen 33

Superior/FLWC Red 48 – Lancaster 30

AWC 51 – Gladiator 28

ROUND 11

Team Minion 56 – G2 13

RRWC Green 51 – Cobra 26

HIGH SCHOOL

ROUND 1

AWC 63 – FLB 6

Lake Country 51 – RRWC Purple 15

Quest 43 – Cobra 12

ROUND 2

FLB 42 – Falconer 27

RRWC Purple 47 – WRCL 15

RRWC Pink 43 – House 15

ROUND 3

Alleghany Mountain 23 – House 22

Quest 46 – E United 9

Cobra 43 – WRCL 19

ROUND 4

Quest 33 – Lake Country 18

Alleghany Mountain 42 – Falconer 15

AWC 54 – House 6

ROUND 5

E United 38 – WRCL 19

RRWC Pink 52 – FLB 15

Cobra 40 – RRWC Purple 16

ROUND 6

Lake Country 49 – E United 3

RRWC Pink 54 – Falconer 9

AWC 50 – Alleghany Mountain 6

ROUND 7

Lake Country 49 – WRCL 6

RRWC Purple 42 – E United 16

AWC 83 – Falconer 3

Alleghany Mountain 30 – FLB 15

ROUND 8

Quest 52 – WRCL 9

AWC 34 – RRWC Pink 22

Lake Country 40 – Cobra 6

House 40 – Falconer 18

ROUND 9

Quest 45 – RRWC Purple 9

Cobra 28 – E United 12

House 30 – FLB 24

RRWC Pink 42 – Alleghany Mountain 12

ROUND 10

E United 24 – Falconer 24

Cobra 27 – House 18

WRCL 39 – FLB 21

Alleghany Mountain 35 – RRWC Purple 31

ROUND 11

E United 18 – FLB 6

Quest 42 – RRWC Pink 15

Falconer 36 – WRCL 24

AWC 31 – Lake Country 24

ROUND 12

Cobra 28 – Alleghany Mountain 19

RRWC Purple 43 – Lake Erie House 18

Quest 50 – AWC 12

RRWC Pink 30 – Lake Country 26

Reminder: Victory 4 Vinny Challenge at Gaglione Strength This Weekend To Benefit Vinny Vespa

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

This Sunday the Victory 4 Vinny Wrestling Strength Challenge will take place at Gaglione Strength in Farmingdale. The proceeds will go to Monroe Woodbury’s Vinny Vespa as he battles Stage 4 cancer.

“I am not sure what people know about cancer, but there is no Stage 5,” John Gaglione said when discussing the origin of the event. “Vinny Vespa needs your help. The battle with cancer is going to be his toughest battle yet and he needs our support.”

To show your support (and your strength), see all the essential details below:

When: Sunday June 24th at 9 a.m. (Check in). The event starts at 9:15 sharp and will be finished before 11:45 a.m.
Where: Gaglione Strength, 32 Allen Boulevard, Farmingdale, NY, 11735. Additional Parking available on Baiting Place Road
What: Three Strength Challenges (see more information below) to support Vinny Vespa

$20 Registration Fee; Additional donations will be accepted and ALL proceeds will go to aid Vinny’s fight

T-Shirts to All Competitors
Prizes for Contest Winners
Limited to the first 40 who sign up

What are the strength challenges? Learn more about them here:

Monkey Bar & Pull Up Challenge Max Distance

Rules
Must perform a pull up at every rung. At the turn you must perform a pull up before and after the turning point. Max distance wins. In the event of a tie, the heavier body weight will win.
-Chin must clear the bar at every rung
-Excessive kipping, heaving or swing of the legs is not allowed
-Chalk is allowed; no other grip aids will be permitted

Weighted (4 Chains) Push Ups for Max Reps in a Minute

Rules
The athlete will perform weighted push ups with an external resistance of 80 pounds (4 chains). Full depth and lockout will be required. Highest number of reps wins. In the event of a tie, the heavier body weight will win.
– All reps must be full locked out
-All reps will be performed with a full range of motion
-Dumbbells will utilized for push up handles. No other aids will be allowed

48kg Kettlebell Goblet Box Squat Max Reps in a Minute

Rules
The athlete will cheat clean (use two hands) a 48kg (106 pounds) kettlebell into the goblet position and perform box squats to a 14 inch box. The maximum number of repetitions will win the event. In the event of a tie, the lower body weight will win.
-Lifter must fully establish control and lockout their hips and knees after every rep
-Lifter must sit onto the box every rep and not crash onto the box
-No lifting belts or aids are allowed for this event

To sign up, go to the link below:

http://wp.me/p1RNnv-t8

First Lessons to the Top of the Class: The Story of Whitehall's Paul and Zach Diekel

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Zach Diekel After Winning the State Title

In honor of Father’s Day, the following is the story of a successful New York father-son combination, Paul and Zach Diekel.

2012 New York State champion Zach Diekel remembers his first wrestling workouts from when he was three or four years old, practicing with his sister in the living room.

Soon afterward, it wasn’t his sister but another member of his family, his father Paul, a former Junior World Freestyle Silver Medalist, spending a considerable amount of time on the mat with him.

Zach, now a senior about to graduate from Whitehall High, calls the sessions with his father friendly but competitive.

“If I do something he wasn’t expecting or I catch him with a headlock, we’ll crack a smile at each other,” he said. “But we definitely go hard. I think he’s a lot stronger than I am, but I’d say I’m quicker at times. When we go live, I don’t know if I ever truly score on him, or if he just lets me.”

According to Paul Diekel, his son underestimates himself.

“He pushes me a lot harder than I want to work. I really have to exert myself to stay with him,” Paul said. “I probably have 25 pounds on him, but I don’t know if I really have a strength advantage anymore. He’s a lot better than I was at that age.”

That’s saying quite a bit.

After winning a state title as a senior at Whitehall, Paul moved on to the University of Oklahoma where he was excited about the plethora of high quality workout partners such as Mark Schultz, Dave Schultz, Melvin Douglas and Andre Metzger.

But he realized early on that he wasn’t entirely pleased as a Sooner and transferred to Lehigh, a school he had considered during the recruiting process.

“I was a little nervous about the academics at Lehigh,” he said. “I didn’t know if I would be able to handle the workload.”

He did, majoring in psychology with a minor in biology and continuing on to chiropractic school following graduation.

On the mat, Paul Diekel had a distinguished career wearing the Brown and White, with a 77-9 record including three All-American finishes (sixth, third and fifth) and a trio of EIWA crowns at 190 pounds.

When asked about his fondest memories in the sport, he recalls some of those achievements but said Zach’s accomplishments, especially his performances this February at the New York State tournament, were equally significant.

Zach Diekel came into the semifinals match at the Times Union Center against an opponent, Phoenix’s Austyn Hayes, who had beaten him by a wide margin earlier in the campaign at the Eastern States Classic. (Hayes also had defeated Diekel at the 2010 state tournament). In a tight bout decided by a late reversal, Diekel came out on top 7-5 to earn his first trip to the Saturday night finals.

The four-time New York placewinner took advantage of the spotlight, putting on a dominant display in his last high school appearance, defeating Avon’s Bryce Mazurowski 9-3 at 195 pounds. Like his father, Zach Diekel went from a bronze finish in the Empire State as a junior to a champion as a senior. After the final whistle, he immediately went over and gave a bear hug to his father and to Whitehall’s head coach (and his uncle), Bob Diekel.

“I don’t know how to explain how I felt after I won,” Zach said. “I almost can’t remember it, it was so crazy. I have a hard time describing it, but it was amazing.”

“After the semis match, I was speechless,” Paul Diekel added. “My legs and knees felt weak – I was just so happy for him to make the finals. When he won it, it was a big, happy feeling of relief. It was a special ending to his high school career and I was so proud of him.”

But Paul Diekel stressed that there’s something else about his son that makes him even more proud – the fact that Zach is the top student in Whitehall’s Class of 2012. As in many schools, the valedictorian makes a speech at graduation, something Zach is preparing to do.

“I’m honored to be asked to speak, but it’s kind of scary for me,” he said. “I’d rather be in my singlet, wrestling in front of any number of people than speaking. But it’s a different kind of pressure and something I’m getting used to.”

He has dealt with pressure before. As soon as he strapped on his headgear and took the mat for Whitehall, he felt the weight of the expectations.

“I knew I had big shoes to fill and people thought I would do great things because of what my father did,” Zach said. “But I made a big effort to overcome that. I made the best of it and used it to motivate me. I tried to conquer the pressure and not let the pressure conquer me.”

He will once again be walking the same path as his father when he begins the next chapter of his career as a 197 pounder in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania this fall. While Paul Diekel admits that he was excited about the possibility of his son joining the Mountain Hawks, he wanted to be sure it was Zach’s selection.

“When he was being recruited, my wife and I stayed out of the decision,” he said. “We wanted to expose him to different places and we went with him on visits to Princeton, Cornell and Harvard. We told him he couldn’t go wrong with any of the choices.”

“I was introduced to Lehigh at a young age,” Zach added. “I went to camps there and watched the varsity team wrestle. When I started looking at colleges, it seemed like a perfect fit for me. Engineering is their specialty and that’s what I want to do. The campus reminds me of my hometown a little bit. It just fit for me.”

Diekel will arrive at the EIWA institution as part of a highly-touted recruiting class. When he does take the mat, fans may recognize the familiar wrestling style.

“By all means, I think he wrestles a lot like me. When you practice together every day you develop similar thought processes and techniques,” Paul said. “I’ve always believed it’s important to be able to attack the legs. Some wrestlers like to be defensive and score off mistakes. We think if you keep offensive pressure up you will eventually wear your opponent down and outscore them by being aggressive. It’s critical to do that to be successful at the next level.”

“People tell me that we are similar and we definitely both like the neutral position,” Zach added. “But people tell me he was a lot meaner on the mat; a little rougher with his opponents. He’s taught me at least 99% of what I know in wrestling.”

Much of that teaching came from the matside where Zach said he believes his father has been in his corner for all but “maybe three or four” competitions over the years.

While he won’t be as close to the action going forward, Paul made it clear that he will still be there.

“My goal was to stay healthy enough to be able to wrestle with him until he went to college,” Paul said. “At the next level, Zach’s training partners will be taken care of. But we’ll still be there for him – my wife and I now plan to follow Zach in his college career. I think he’ll do very well in wrestling, but regardless of what happens on the mat, he has his priorities straight. He understands that school comes first and wrestling comes second; a close second. I’m so proud of him. If he keeps doing the things he’s always done, he will continue to be very successful down the road.”

The Power of Two: Fatherhood, Wrestling, Nick and Nicky Hall

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Nick and Nicky Hall at the Section XI tournament

In honor of Father’s Day, we will bring a few stories about wrestling fathers and sons in New York. The first is about Nick Hall Sr. and his son Nicky Hall.

On his way to the state finals in 2012, Longwood junior Nicky Hall was very stingy defensively, giving up more than two points in only four of his 38 bouts. That wasn’t an accident.

“From an early age I tried to teach my son the mentality I had in wrestling, which was not to get scored on,” said Nick Hall Sr., who was an All-American heavyweight in college. “I used to tell him I’d rather he win 1-0 than 7-2 because it’s better not to give up points. I’d say [Nicky] and I are very similar in style. We aren’t flashy wrestlers but we take a lot of pride in being hard to score on and just getting the job done.”

That includes getting the job done in the postseason, as both earned two Sectional crowns for the Lions – the first father-son combination to achieve that feat in Suffolk County.

For Nicky, who has competed for the varsity squad since seventh grade, it wasn’t hard to find the motivation to stand on top of the podium for Longwood.

“There were huge expectations for me from the beginning,” he said. “My father’s name is on the wall in the wrestling room. There’s a picture of him right outside the window. I stared at those things every day. It was almost haunting me everywhere I looked. I wanted people to think of both of us when they hear Nick Hall. I wanted to make a name for myself, not just live in his shadow.”

His performance on the mat has achieved that, including fourth and second place medals at the New York state tournament the past two campaigns.

Success is nothing new for Nicky – he has been winning since he began taking the sport seriously around 10 years old. His exposure to wrestling goes back further, however, to the time he attended some of his father’s practices and matches at Old Dominion. That early involvement was significant to Nick Sr.

“Wrestling helped me get into college and get my college degree,” Nick Sr. said. “Wrestling builds character and sets you up to be successful later in life. They say that once you’ve wrestled, everything in life is easy. I really believe that. It’s so near and dear to my heart that it was important for me to introduce him to wresting when he was young.”

From the start, Nicky said his father was there to coach him and help him in his development. He considers himself lucky to have had his father’s support and guidance in the room although it occasionally brought about some painful lessons.

“One time I asked him to wrestle me, but about 10 minutes later I was wondering what I was thinking,” Nicky said. “He has a lot of weight on me and is too strong; too tough. My chin was bleeding and so was my nose and lip. It was definitely a one-sided battle.”

Nick Sr. had a lot of one-sided battles in high school, where he finished his career at Longwood as a state champion at 215 pounds. He picked up where he left off in college, earning a 115-18-3 record and a pair of CAA crowns in addition to All-American honors as a junior.

In his final campaign, he was among the contenders for an NCAA championship. However, at the tournament, he ruptured the fifth and sixth discs in his spine, which not only forced him to default from nationals but also put an end to his wrestling career.

“That injury changed my whole path,” Nick Sr. said. “I was planning on winning the national title that year. Then I planned to be a graduate assistant coach, getting my graduate degree and becoming a psychologist. But I didn’t have the opportunity to do that because of my injury.”

The turn of events shaped his thoughts for his son’s future.

“I’ve always told Nicky that there’s no professional wrestling,” he said. “I want him to excel in wrestling because it’s something he loves to do, but much more important is to use wrestling as a tool to go to a college that will allow him to be the most productive person he can be. Nicky has always embraced academics in a way that I didn’t until I got to college. My best advice to him is to seek an Ivy League University where he can come out with a degree that sets him up for life.”

The message is certainly one Nicky has taken to heart.

“My father always reminds me to never sell myself short – in wrestling, at school, in any situation,” Nicky said. “I have a stack of college letters in my room – more than 25. He reminds me not to be satisfied, to know the kind of school I want to attend and not settle for anything less.”

When he does move away, whether it’s for college or for a possible prep school next year, both Nick Sr. and Nicky talk about the adjustments they’ll have to make. But for now, they appreciate the time they have.

“We do everything together,” Nicky said. “Hanging around the house, taking care of the yard, hanging out with my little brothers (Rocco, Jake and Tyler). We sometimes sit and watch college wrestling on TV, rewind it and talk about what the guys did on the mat. He’s my go-to person to hang out with.”

“[Nicky] has far exceeded what I ever expected to have in a child,” Nick Sr. added. “He’s a great role model to his brothers and his teammates. He sets the bar very high academically and athletically. I can honestly say I’m honored and proud to have him as my child. I didn’t grow up with a father, so it makes it that much more important for me to give him what I never had. When his birthday comes around, I’m reading cards and crying because he’s the best kid you could have.”

In addition to birthdays, the Halls look forward to Father’s Day, an occasion that Nick Sr. said his son “goes all out” to celebrate.

“He’s very special to me because he’s done so much for me and my family,” Nicky said. “I really appreciate him. When it comes to Father’s Day, I do it right because he deserves it.”

——————————————————————

Nick Hall Sr. was a two-time CAA Wrestler of the Year, who ranks fourth on the Old Dominion wins list and is tied for first in career pins.

Nicky Hall was a Section XI champion in 2011 and 2012 and the Division I State runner up at 152 pounds this season.

"All the Motivation and Inspiration in the World": Vinny Vespa Update and Upcoming Events and Fundraisers

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Vinny Vespa Poster by Phototrens

Vinny Vespa wasn’t at the Beat the Streets event in New York City last Thursday, but he was on the minds of those in attendance.

“When people found out I was Vinny’s brother, they approached me and asked about him,” said Michael Vespa, Vinny’s older sibling, mentioning conversations with some well known names in wrestling including Kyle Dake, Dan Gable, Jake Herbert and Logan Steiber.

“So many of them are people my brother would have loved to meet and they were asking about him. I couldn’t believe that five minutes before going on the mat to try to make the Olympic team, Coleman Scott took the time to talk. The support from the wrestling community is amazing.”

“Amazing” is a word Michael Vespa also used to describe Vinny’s handling of his treatments for Stage 4 cancer. While the Times Square wrestling action began, Vinny Vespa was busy finishing up his third session of chemotherapy in the hospital.

“By this time, people usually get really sick with nausea and fatigue,” Michael Vespa said. “But the chemo hasn’t gotten to Vinny as much as we thought. He’s making it easy on everybody else because I don’t think he has complained once or said anything negative about the therapy. He’s doing some lifting and hanging out.”

Of course, he would like to be wrestling. Michael Vespa said his brother was hoping to step on the mat on June 30 at Monroe Woodbury High School for the Victory 4 Vinny Takedown Tournament. While that won’t be possible, Vinny will be in attendance.

“We’re trying to get as many people as possible to be there,” Michael Vespa said. “Vinny won’t be able to go out too much this summer, but that will be one day he’ll be out, interacting with people. We’d love to see a lot of wrestlers participate in the tournament and we’d love to have other people come to support the cause and enjoy the day.”

The event will feature several family fun activities, including face painting and bounce houses for children. And of course, some wrestling.

“I see it as a stress-free tournament and opportunity to get on the mat,” Michael Vespa said. “It’s a round robin with several divisions for all kinds of wrestlers. I’ll be competing in the Open division.”

For Michael Vespa it will serve as a warmup for the fall when he returns in full force to the sport he and his family love, possibly at Nassau. Recent events have moved him to get back on the mat and in the classroom.

“I’m looking to go back to school next year and wrestle,” he said. “I wasn’t satisfied with how I ended my career at Johnson and Wales and I have three and a half years of eligibility left. I feel really inspired. The same day Vinny got diagnosed, a kid I’d been training took a bad fall in a match and was put in a neck brace for 12 weeks. Same day, same hospital. If he and Vinny can’t wrestle, I’ll do it for them. I miss it and I want to get my education. I have all the motivation and inspiration in the world right now.”

Adding to that inspiration was a plaque that Vinny recently received, a familiar one for the Vespa family. At the Monroe Woodbury Awards Dinner, Vinny Vespa was named the school’s Male Freshman Athlete of the Year, an honor Michael received a few years ago.

“It was a great honor, we were all really excited,” Michael Vespa said. “Vinny had a great year and deserved it. Things like that help in a tough time. Our family is trying to make the best of the situation. We’re grateful for all the people who have stepped up and helped. That includes a lot of help from the wrestling community. We believe he’ll get through this.”

—————————————-

There are several ways to help the Vespa Family. In addition to the June 30 Takedown Tournament, Gaglione Strength is holding a Strength Competition on June 24 in Farmingdale. Please see below for more details and ways to offer assistance:

Victory 4 Vinny Wrestling Strength Challenge at Gaglione Strength June 24, 9 am

When: Sunday June 24th Check in at 9am; Event Starts at 9:15 and will will be finished before 11:45am

Where: Gaglione Strength 32 Allen Boulevard, Farmingdale, NY, 11735 Additional Parking available on Baiting Place road

What: Three Strength Challenges to Support Vinny Vespa

$20 Registration Fee (additional donations will be accepted)

All proceeds will go to aid in Vinny’s fight against cancer

T-Shirts to All Competitors; Prizes for Contest Winners

Limited to the first 40 who sign up

Registration Deadline June 20th

To register or for more details on this event, please go to:

http://www.gaglionestrength.com/2012/05/30/victory-4-vinny-at-gaglione-strength-farmingdale/

Or watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkUO5x-5Tfs&feature=youtu.be

Victory 4 Vinny Takedown Tournament at Monroe Woodbury High School June 30, 8 am – 6 pm

The tournament will have elementary, middle school, high school and open divisions and potentially even a masters division. All proceeds will go directly to the Vespa Family to help Vinny in his battle. The registration cost will be $20 (USA Wrestling cards not required). In addition to the wrestling, there will be a Family Fun Day with face painting, cotton candy, bounce castles, etc.

For more information, check out the event flyer: http://www.leaguelineup.com/teamvinnytournament/files/teamvinnypdf.pdf

If you can’t attend the events, consider helping the cause by purchasing Vinny V Items:

Team Vinny V T-Shirts, developed by Forever Fierce, can be purchased by contacting info@foreverfierce.net

Team Vinny V singlets, are available for $80 ($30 goes to the Vespa Family) by contacting Mike Skokos at (845) 416-2337

"A Sleeping Giant is Awakening": Beat the Streets Continues to Build in New York City

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

“I enjoy doing big things,” said Al Bevilacqua before the Beat the Streets (BTS) 2012 Gala and Benefit last week. “That’s been my body of work for over 47 years – doing big things. Fortunately, we found Mike Novogratz who really loves to do big things.”

The last few weeks fit the bill as “big” for Bevilacqua, beginning with over 80 hours of train rides to Oklahoma where he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, receiving the Order of Merit. It certainly wasn’t the first ceremony for Bevilacqua, who is also enshrined in several other Halls of Fame, including those of New York State Wrestling, New York University Athletics and Massapequa High School. However, this induction was especially meaningful since his son Chris joined him as an honoree, receiving recognition as Outstanding American.

“I’ve been in other ceremonies before but this was a big one,” he said. “Having my son there alongside me made it even better.”

After a long return trip on the rails to the Northeast, the week continued to be “big” with last Thursday’s BTS Gala in Manhattan. After a freestyle dual between the United States and Russia in Times Square last year, the first sporting event held in that section of Manhattan, the 2012 event was even bigger.

It once again offered a battle between some of the finest American and Russian grapplers, but it also included a three-competitor wrestle-off for the 60 kg Olympic spot won by Coleman Scott.

When asked what excited him most about the “Grapple in the Big Apple”, Bevilacqua didn’t hesitate.

“I look at the crowd,” he said before the event. “I look for the television cameras. We have trouble as a sport attracting mainstream media coverage, but now we have major newspapers and news broadcasts covering this event.

“Around 1.1 million people pass through Times Square every day,” Bevilacqua continued. “Maybe they stop and watch for a few minutes. Maybe they catch some of the four hours on the JumboTron. That’s a lot of eyes seeing wrestling. You need to go where the people are. That’s what excites me about the event. You have to build the interest, the passion, the excitement.”

That theme of building and maintaining a love of wrestling comes up again and again in conversation with the celebrated teacher, coach and wrestling promoter. It’s one of the fundamental building blocks of the BTS program. Years ago, the New York native saw the nation’s big cities as an untapped area. He firmly believed as an educator that developing wrestling programs in middle schools and then high schools in urban areas would have profound benefits for both the sport and for the kids.

While he had characteristically big plans, he knew in this case, things needed to start small. A parent contacted the organization and suggested approaching the principal at Simon Baruch Middle School.

“I had to go into sales mode to get things started in New York City,” Bevilacqua said. “I explained it as an educational after school program that develops life skills through a great activity; not as a sports program.”

The principal decided to give it a chance and BTS began in the one institution with 28 kids.

“I have always seen after school programs as an extension of the school day,” Bevilacqua said. “It’s the best classroom in the building. It’s a laboratory for all the academic subjects.

“It’s a laboratory for mathematics. Mathematics relates to a movement skill – it’s all about movements that create angles. It’s a laboratory for biology, understanding the human body and a quality of life. It’s a laboratory for history — we talked about the 13 United States Presidents that wrestled. We tied it into education. But most importantly, the kids had somewhere to go after school and had a lot of fun. We followed a curriculum of ‘fun and fundamentals’ created in the early 1970s by the United States Wrestling Federation. It is the ‘cornerstone’ of our program.”

Ten weeks later, metrics on the 28 participants were measured, including attendance, deportment and grades. The principal said it was “the greatest program they ever had” at the school and she arranged a luncheon meeting with another 10 middle schools.

“I simply opened the program by introducing myself and then turned it over to the Baruch Middle School principal,” Bevilacqua said. “At the end of the luncheon, they all came on board.”

Interestingly, when looking for people to lead BTS in these institutions in the early stages, Bevilacqua didn’t seek out experienced wrestlers.

“Finding adults who have the passion to help kids was most important,” he said. “I almost preferred that they didn’t know that much about wrestling because wrestling people tend to compete too quickly. We recruited teachers in the building and told them that they would be judged on how many kids started, how many finished and then how many came back the next year.

“When you put the competition model in too quickly, there’s a tendency to worry about weight and take a lot of the fun out of the sport,” Bevilacqua continued. “That’s why so many kids quit. The youth numbers nationwide are very good, but the numbers drop off because somewhere along the way the experience isn’t good. The first step is to build up the passion in the kids; make them love the sport.”

Following this philosophy, Bevilacqua said that in the first two years, the BTS participants didn’t compete with anyone outside of their own practices. In year three, with 20 programs on board, they had a “Wrestling Day” with a clinic, lunch, coaches certification program and scrimmages without referees.

Of course, now, several years later, many of those early participants are competing at the high school level. While competition has not been the focus of the program, especially in the middle schools, the gains being made on the mat by those involved in the BTS program in New York are evident.

The Public School Athletic League (PSAL) had its first NYPHSAA state finalist this year when Brooklyn International’s Cheick Ndiaye took second place at 106 pounds in Division II in Albany. Several other grapplers who have spent time with BTS, including McZiggy Richards (3^rd at 182), Patryk Kopczynski (4^th at 220), Rrok Ndokaj (4^th at 170), Abubokarr Sow (5^th at 126), and Cristian Masaya (6^th at 152) also earned All-State honors.

“The PSAL started wrestling 30 years ago, but the quality didn’t compare to much of the state,” he said. “It’s the largest section in the state in terms of schools. There are over 300 high schools and we’re in 65 of them. We’re in 58 middle schools. We’re starting to see the results. Now we feel that a sleeping giant is awakening.”

More proof of that giant’s emergence came in early May at Broome Community College in Binghamton at the New York State Freestyle and Greco Championships. BTS took first place as a club in Junior Freestyle and Greco, along with top three finishes in both styles in the Cadet Division. In all, BTS had 14 champions and 17 silver medalists, including six first and eight second place winners on the women’s squad. (BTS is targeting the start of 25 women’s programs in the schools over the next five years).

But perhaps more than the victories on the mat, Bevilacqua is proud to see wrestlers continue the sport at the next level. Several seniors will be wrestling in college, including (but not limited to) Brooklyn Tech teammates Kopczynski (Hunter College) and Masaya (American), Wingate’s Ahmed Elsayed (Brown) and Monsignor Farrell’s Ndokaj (Bloomsburg).

“That’s what it’s about. I can’t emphasize enough that it’s an academic thing we’re doing,” he said. “It’s not just a wrestling program. We use wrestling as our tool. I’m an educator. I have a competitive part and an educator part. The success we’re having is not because of the wrestling, but because of what we’re doing for the kids, helping them work through what is frankly in my opinion a dysfunctional school system.

“Many of our donors are not the usual wrestling people,” he continued. “We find that too many of the guys that get the most out of wrestling usually don’t invest by giving back to their schools and colleges. Most of our donors are people that became successful because of the life skills and the toughness they learned from wrestling. They love wrestling and recognize what it’s done for them. They do ‘big time.’ They want to give that back to help others.”

Giving back is what the BTS Gala held last week is about. The first year, Bevilacqua said the “Gala” was a get together in a Chinese restaurant. The second, it was a party for the donors. Later, in the style Bevilacqua likes, things started to get bigger.

The Intrepid aircraft carrier in 2010. Times Square in 2011 and 2012. In each of the past three years, Bevilacqua said over $1 million was raised for the program.

“Times Square is big,” he said. “It’s the best promotion we could think of to educate and expose people to wrestling. But it’s important to remember that nothing big ever happens because of one person. People mention me and Mike Novogratz, but there have been so many who have helped to build Beat the Streets. We’re a long way from our vision but we’re getting there. We’re building. You’re seeing the results and it’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

College Wrestling Coming to Madison Square Garden for the First Time in December

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

NEW YORK — MSG Sports announced today that, for the first time in Madison Square Garden history, collegiate wrestling will take to the mat in the inaugural “Grapple at the Garden, benefiting Beat the Streets.” Bucknell, Chattanooga, Hofstra, Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Ohio State and Rutgers will participate in the historic event on Sunday, Dec. 16, at The World’s Most Famous Arena.

Nine of the country’s top college wrestling programs will converge at Madison Square Garden for what will be the first-ever collegiate wrestling dual meet in The Garden’s illustrious history. Five of the participating institutions placed in the top 25 during the NCAA Division I Championships. They include Iowa with a third place finish, Ohio State with a fifth place finish and Oklahoma State, which finished in sixth place. Also included are Nebraska and Hofstra, which finished 21st and 23rd respectively.

Oklahoma State and Iowa are by far two of the greatest dynasties in all of college athletics and, together, have a combined total of 57 NCAA wrestling championships. This includes 34 championships for Oklahoma State, which marks a record for the most titles held by one university in any college sport in the country.

“Madison Square Garden has a long and legendary history with collegiate athletics and we look forward to welcoming the finest collegiate wrestlers in the country on December 16,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, MSG Sports. “There’s no better way to host our first-ever collegiate wrestling meet than with these nine top universities with first-rate wrestling programs.”

The “Grapple at the Garden, benefiting Beat the Streets” will showcase the many talents of college’s top wrestlers including Iowa’s two-time NCAA champion Matt McDonough, who recently captured the 125 lb. championship at both the Big Ten and NCAA Championships this season as well as Ohio State’s Logan Stieber, who in his first season captured the 133 lb. title at the NCAA Championships, defeating No. 1 seed and defending national champion Jordan Oliver from Oklahoma State.

Long Island native and 2011 ACC Coach of the Year, Kerry McCoy will lead his Maryland Terrapins into the Garden when they take on Nebraska and Ohio State. McCoy, a two-time Olympian, four-time World Cup Champion and three-time NCAA All-American, captured the silver medal in the 2003 World Wrestling Championships at Madison Square Garden.

Additionally, prior to rebuilding The Ohio State University wrestling program, head coach Tom Ryan spent 11 years as head coach at Hofstra. Ryan, who grew up on Long Island, and his Buckeyes team will now face off against his former school during session one on December 16th.

The full day of wrestling on December 16 will consist of two separate sessions with the first starting at 10:30 a.m. with Rutgers vs. Chattanooga, Maryland vs. Nebraska, Ohio State vs. Hofstra and Iowa vs. Bucknell. Session two will begin at 12:30 p.m. and feature Rutgers vs. Nebraska, Oklahoma State vs. UTC, Ohio State vs. Maryland and Iowa vs. Hofstra.

Tickets will be available at a later date. To sign up for the exclusive Pre-Sale, please visit http://www.MSGINSIDER.com.

–From MSG Sports

Coleman Scott Wins Olympic Wrestleoff, US Beats Russia at "The Grapple in the Big Apple"

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

For the second year in a row, Times Square was the site of great wrestling action for Thursday’s Beat the Streets Gala in New York City. Coleman Scott captured the 60 kg Olympic spot for the USA with his win over Reece Humphrey in the early afternoon, followed by his championship series victory over Shawn Bunch.

In a dual featuring some of the world’s best grapplers, the United States topped Russia 4-3 on the strength of wins by Logan Steiber, Jared Frayer, Jordan Burroughs and Tervel Dlagnev. After the competition, the 2012 Asics Beat the Streets Gala and Benefit took place at Roseland Ballroom, including the reception and awards ceremony. Below are the competition results:

U.S. Olympic Trials Wrestle-off at 60 kg – Won by Coleman Scott

Preliminary round: Coleman Scott over Reece Humphrey 1-0, 0-1, 1-0

Championship Series Match 1 – Coleman Scott over Shawn Bunch 1-0, 0-1, 7-0

Championship Series Match 2 – Shawn Bunch over Coleman Scott 1-1, 1-0, 1-0

Championship Series Match 3 – Coleman Scott over Shawn Bunch 1-0, 5-0

USA vs. Russia freestyle dual meet – USA Wins 4-3

55 kg/121 lbs. – Artas Sanaa (Russia) over Sam Hazewinkel, (USA) 1-0, 2-0
60 kg/132 lbs. – Logan Stieber (USA) over Akhmed Chakaev (Russia) 1-3, 7-0, 5-4
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Jared Frayer (USA) over Dzhalaludin Kurbanaliev (Russia) 5-0, 0-2, 1-0
74 kg/163 lbs. – Jordan Burroughs (USA) over Kamal Malikov (Russia) 8-0, 5-0
84 kg/185 lbs. – Andrey Valiev (Russia) over Keith Gavin (USA) 5-0, 3-2
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Shamil Akhmedov (Russia) over J.D. Bergman (USA) 1-2, 1-1, 2-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tervel Dlagnev (USA) pins Eduard Bazrov (Russia)

55 kg Women’s Exhibition: Helen Maroulis over Ashley Hudson 4-0, 2-2

Mohawk Valley Wrestling Club Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Club Cup Championship

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

The Mohawk Valley Wrestling Club (MVWC) celebrated its 30^th anniversary in style, capturing the Club Cup on Saturday at Chittenango High School with a 34-31 victory over defending champion Finger Lakes Wrestling Club.

As in the 2011 championship match, the title came down to the final bout at heavyweight. With the score knotted at 31 after the first 14 bouts, Brian Ervin, a senior at Vernon Verona Sherrill High topped Josh Dembell to earn the victory for his club.

“Brian’s match was the deciding factor and he was one of the seniors that stepped up for us,” McGee said. “Another was [Chittenango’s] Cody Carbery who won all of his matches during the tournament. He’s been competing in this event for so many years and was part of a bunch of teams that took second place. It was nice for these seniors to finish with the championship.”

Winning the Cup, signifying the top freestyle team in the state, is not uncommon for MVWC, which has captured the title 14 times in the event’s 24 year history. However, the 2012 crown ended a seven-year drought.

“I was really happy that we were able to win it,” said President Don McGee. “Shamrock dominated and won several times in a row and then Finger Lakes last year. It was great to have the championship back, especially in our 30^th anniversary year.”

In 1982, the club was formed to advance the sport in the smaller schools in the areas around Syracuse. According to McGee, the original mission of the MVWC hasn’t changed in three decades.

“The goals of the club are the same as they’ve always been,” he said. “We’re strictly involved in the international styles of wrestling because in our theory, summer wrestling should be Freestyle and Greco. We believe that’s the pathway to creating a better wrestler. We’ve always been open to anyone that wants to come in and learn the international styles and is willing to compete with us, both nationally and internationally.”

The international nature of the club’s activity has set MVWC apart over the years. Travel, especially outside of the United States, is an integral part of the club’s identity and success, and has brought MVWC wrestlers everywhere from China to Turkey to various countries in Europe. According to McGee, MVWC targets at least one major trip per year, in addition to typical visits to Puerto Rico and Canada.

“Surprisingly, the most important things the kids get out of our trips don’t have to do with wrestling,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, we wrestle national teams, top clubs around the world and get great competition that we learn a lot from. But in essence, these trips broaden the outlook of our kids on the world and on life. We don’t take tourist trips or stay in hotels or do bus tours. We spend 10 days in the homes of wrestlers and other club members. We really see the culture of whatever country we visit and immerse ourselves fully in that culture.”

That was true of the club’s most recent voyage to Germany in April, where the team’s competitions with regional all-star squads and some members of the German National team were mixed in with exploring the area.

“We have a relationship with a small community outside of Stuttgart that has a wrestling club that’s been in existence for over 100 years,” McGee said. “We developed a relationship in the mid eighties and have been going over there and having them come to visit us since 1985. It’s like visiting family. The kids get treated like family and for me it’s like a second home. I walk into the shops and people know me by name.”

MVWC will spend some time in October in another familiar location – Puerto Rico – for the Copa Sparta. But before that, there will be some attention on a domestic event – the Freestyle and Greco championships in Fargo.

In early May, MVWC won the New York State team championship in both Freestyle and Greco in the Cadet division. Dan Smith (170) and Joe Nasoni (195) both earned double titles while Ben Honis (182, Freestyle), David Ciciarelli (88, Greco) and Ryan Snow (126, Greco) stood on the top of podium as well.

“It was encouraging to see our younger group win both styles and now the Club Cup,” McGee said. “A lot of times we don’t send large groups to Fargo. I believe it is probably the best tournament held in the United States, but there are a lot of opporutunities out there, and when you can go on one of our trips to Europe plus go to Puerto Rico for about the same money as it takes for Fargo, traditionally, a lot of our kids have chosen those other opportunities. This year we have encouraged Fargo a little more and we have as many kids going to Fargo as we have had in a long time. We’re excited to see what they can do. Their success rejuvenates me after 30 years.”

MVWC has seen a lot of success throughout the years, having trained Olympic team member Jason Gleasman in addition to a large number of college All-Americans in Divisions I, II and III.

“We have produced and worked with a lot of good wrestlers over the years,” McGee said. “It’s amazing that we’ve lasted as long as we have and we’re still relevant. People just keep stepping up and it’s nice to see that. We’ve rotated a lot of coaches and the quality of coaching has stayed consistent. We’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished and we’re excited celebrate 30 years. Winning the Club Cup was a great way to celebrate.”

Club Cup Finals (Mohawk Valley Wrestling Club 34, Finger Lakes Wrestling Club 31)*

100 Pounds: Ray Sorenson (MVWC) over Tyler Bronzki (FLWC), 2-0

106: Noah Handy (MVWC) wins by forfeit

113: Lucas Malmberg (FLWC) pin Deandre Norman (MVWC)

120: Cody Carbery (MVWC) over Kyle Kelly (FLWC), 2-0

126: Tyler Heggleke (MVWC) pin Zack Benedict (FLWC)

132: William Koll (FLWC) pin Nick Petroff (MVWC)

138: Barney Prince (MVWC) over Tyler Hall (FLWC), 2-0

145: Aaron Benedict (FLWC) pin Sean McKenna (MVWC)

152: Kevin Thayem (FLWC) over Tial Thang (MVWC), 2-1

160: Matt Fisher (MVWC) over Jordan Torbitt (FLWC), 2-0

170: Dan Smith (MVWC) over Connor Halliday (FLWC), 2-0

182: Mark Fisher (FLWC) pin Spencer Norton (MVWC)

195: Reggie Williams (FLWC) over Joe Nasoni (MVWC), 2-0

220: Josh Langley (MVWC) over Matt Abbott (FLWC), 2-0

285: Brian Ervin (MVWC) over Josh Dembell (FLWC), 2-0

Team Finishes*

Mohawk Valley Wrestling Club
Finger Lakes Wresting Club
Matt Power
Titan Albany
Worldwide Titan
Genesee Valley

*Information provided by Mohawk Valley Wrestling Club

X-Cel Tops Apex to Win Second Annual Eastern Nationals Championship; Check out Videos from the Event

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

FOR VIDEOS FROM THE EASTERN NATIONALS, SEE BELOW

The championship featured the same two clubs. The end result was the same, too.

Two weeks ago in Lake Placid, X-Cel met Apex in the finals of the Pop and Flo National Duals with the Long Island squad coming out on top by a 25-24 score.

This weekend, the two teams squared off again for the title at the Eastern Nationals at Eastport South Manor High School. X-Cel was once again victorious, this time by a much larger margin, against an Apex team with several lineup changes from the Pop and Flo competition.

One of the holdovers from the Apex team that competed in Lake Placid, Rutgers-bound Tony Pafumi, was named the event’s Most Outstanding Wrestler by vote of the coaches. The St. Peter’s Prep (NJ) standout notched several impressive victories on the weekend, including decisive wins over New York placewinners Gio Santiago of Sachem North and Dylen Seybolt of Longwood. (Match video of Pafumi is available below, along with several other bouts).

“Pafumi is very, very tough,” X-Cel coach and event leader Nick Garone said. “He definitely impressed a lot of people, especially on his feet. It says a lot to win the MOW when you aren’t on the championship team.”

X-Cel’s title squad also boasted several top-notch performances and a host of undefeated wrestlers. Rather than singling out any individuals, however, Garone preferred to talk about X-Cel as a unit.

“The team we put out there could have competed with anyone in the country,” Garone said. “The kids were spectacular and I’m very proud of them. It’s phenomenal for us as a club to win Pop and Flo and now this event; it shows that we’re doing things right and getting guys to compete at a high level.“

Another group competing at a high level, according to Garone, was the squad from Sachem East, which defeated nearby Sachem North in the third place dual.

“East was tough; they were right there in the mix with Apex, but Apex had just enough to overcome them,” he said. “Most of the teams here were club teams with kids from lots of different schools, but Sachem East mostly came as their high school team, with a few fill-ins. It’s darn impressive to place in an event like this as a high school team. I give them a lot of credit.”

There were a lot of people Garone wanted to give credit to following the event. He mentioned great refereeing and the work of Dean Zenie, Kim Leo, Darren Goldstein and Teddy Fabian, among others. He also was grateful to MSG Varsity for agreeing to provide television coverage of both the championship and third place bouts (on July 2).

“It’s very difficult to get somebody to agree to air wrestling,” he said. “MSG came on board and stepped up to the plate. It adds credibility and exposure for the kids and we’re really excited it will be on TV.”

Garone also expressed his excitement about X-Cel winning its second title in the past three weeks. And he is thrilled about the future of the Eastern Nationals.

“We’re trying to provide a platform for the kids in this area to wrestle in a high profile event without having to get on a plane or travel far and spend so much money,” he said. “We were up against some obstacles this year like proms and SATs which made the number of teams a little lower than we wanted, but we will work on that and find a better date next year. We believe this event will grow into something tremendous that will allow our Long Island wrestlers to wrestle the best competition without having to go far from home.”

Below are some of the videos from the Eastern Nationals 2012.

T. Pafumi (Apex) vs. G. Santiago (Sachem North)