'Scared money don't make money'. Legendary wrestlers, coaches share how to win big in AC
Don’t sit down.
In all my years covering the New Jersey wrestling finals in Atlantic City, that’s my best advice. What happens is, just before the boys state finals, a special color guard comes to the center of the mat and the national anthem plays.
As soon as the anthem ends, people sit down. Always.
That’s not the right protocol. We’re supposed to remain standing until the color guard has left the arena. So don’t sit down!
That’s my best advice for Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City (that and come early Saturday to hear the pipe organ play). But what about advice for how to win a state title?
I reached out to a wide cross-section of coaches, wrestlers and champions to get their best advice on how to win a state title. The greatest North Jersey wrestling champion only said four words - maybe to match his four state titles. Others said plenty about the mindset and approach needed in Atlantic City.
Nunzio Campanile
Current Syracuse assistant football coach, former Don Bosco head wrestling coach
“I think the wrestling state championships is the greatest event in New Jersey high school sports. The hard work, dedication and mental toughness it takes to get through this tournament is unmatched. It seems to me that the guys who do the best are the ones that trust in their training and stay focused on the task at hand.”
Mike Blakely
Former West Milford wrestling coach
“It’s a mindset now. You need to stay focused and rely on the skills that got you here.”
Mike Grey
Cornell University head coach, first four-time state champion in NJ history
“The biggest thing is to eliminate distractions. There are tons in AC and on the boardwalk.”
Tony Gonzalez
Former Ridgefield Park wrestling coach
“Act as if you belong there. Don’t go in there with a white face looking around the entire facility. Focus on one match at a time and always pin to win. I think about the time we went down with Robbie Thieman and he was runner-up at Regions and the No. 2 seed. He won every match until the semifinals because he acted as if he belonged from that time in Regions. It reminds me of the quote ‘believe in yourself when no one else will,’ Sugar Ray Leonard said that.”
Pete Gonzalez
1983 New Jersey State champion and trainer
"Get there early. Don't be rushing around. Kids build up so much anxiety talking about it. There's nothing you can do about the seeds. If you want to win it, you have to beat the best guy. I always said I wanted to seek out the best guy, beat the best guy and be the best guy. You have to have laser beam focus to get it done. Focusing becomes a sixth sense and true champions think about it all the time."
Diego Crespo
Club coach and 2004 state heavyweight champion at Paramus Catholic
“Let it fly! It’s the last tournament of the year. There’s no need to hold anything back. Seedings and records do not matter. Every match starts 0-0. If you plan on placing or winning this tournament you’re going to have to beat somebody good. No one was invited to this tournament. I promise you there will be someone who wins this tournament, makes the finals or places that no one thought would. That’s the beauty of this event. Scared money don’t make money in AC.”
Dale Fava
Felician University wrestling coach, three-time NJ state place-winner
“As a wrestler, you must believe you can win states above all. No one else has to believe it but you. At this point in the season, all the practices, conditioning and extra work is finished and the state tournament becomes 90 percent mental. Never give up, keep scoring points, don’t sit on a lead, but create a bigger lead. Less than one percent of wrestlers are crowned state champions every year, so the task isn’t easy, but being obsessed and believing you can win the title is a must.”
Bucky Rehain
Longtime North Jersey wrestling coach
“I coached 12 state champions overall. It would take hours to explain how Pascack Hills led the county and state during those years. All I can say is we built a pride and a tradition that everyone both feared and respected. Exposure was a big key. We traveled to Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia to get the best competition.”
Damion Logan
St. Joseph three-time state champion
“New Jersey is by far one of the toughest, deepest wrestling states pound for pound in the country. Winning state titles in the Garden State and being on top of the podium are accomplishments grade school and high school wrestlers dream of.
One must understand state titles are won in advance. They are won in the wrestler's focus leading up to the state tournament. State titles are won with sacrifice, extra training hours, discipline and mindset. State titles are won when a wrestler truly believes in his/her ability to compete and win at the highest level.
The best advice I can give: Don’t sweat the little stuff leading to the event. Don’t focus on things you can’t control. Eat right. Sleep right. Have a balanced life with no doubt of your preparation. Enjoy your moment.”
Izabella Frezzo
Becton 2021 state champion
“I am so glad the girls have the opportunity to compete at Boardwalk Hall. It was one of the most electrifying feelings I’ve had during competition. I’m getting chills just thinking about it. The best advice to winning a state title in New Jersey is to stay calm, because the environment can definitely change your performance and not always for the result you were anticipating. Remember all the training leading up to this moment and just wrestle your heart out.”
Aaron Ayzerov
Paramus 2021 state champion
“The first thing to understand about States is that it’s the pinnacle of your entire high school career and essentially the culmination of every ounce of blood, sweat and tears you’ve shed in years of preparation. A piece of advice I can give is to smile, even a forced smile will help you calm down and allow you to focus on your performance. I would smile before every match and tell my coaches 'Showtime.' The state tournament should be the most enjoyable moment of their career.”
Johnny Sebastian
Bergen Catholic three-time state champion
“Winning a state title is hard…then you factor in what it takes to be a state champion in New Jersey, a single-class state and the odds get worse. I was fortunate to have a community of friends, family and high school coaches, private coaches that believed in me and were willing to do whatever it took to help me get to the top.
The biggest theme is consistency. A wrestler should approach every match the same. It’s easy to get distracted by the bright lights and roaring sounds inside Boardwalk Hall. Relax, take a deep breath and remember how lucky you are to have made it to this point.
Don’t worry about seeding! Don’t let negative emotions build up based on where you are seeded. If you are going to be a state champion, you will find yourself wrestling the best guy(s) at some point. Go 1-0 every match and ignore the rest the bracket. Go out and showcase your talent and leave everything on the mat.”
Erin Emery
First NJ girls state champion while at Teaneck
“Winning a state title in New Jersey is all about hard work, dedication and earning the respect of your teammates. These are days you will look back on for years. I still do. My advice is to go out, wrestle hard and put all your knowledge and energy into each match. Make sure you have no regrets.”
Jimmy Mullen
St. Joseph three-time state champion
“You have to look at the tournament as just another weekend to go wrestle. If you put too much pressure, you might overwhelm yourself mentally and physically. When you get down to AC, there will be a million people there. The best thing I did was get away from everything and stay in my hotel room or in the back waiting room so I didn’t waste too much energy from the crowd. Focus on one match at a time; all five matches should be a state finals match, so when you finally get under the lights Saturday night, you have wrestled that match 100 times in your head, so just go do what you do best. Let’s go St. Joe's!”
Nick Suriano
Bergen Catholic undefeated four-time state champion
“You love your heart.”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ wrestling legends share how to win state title in Atlantic City
