There’s something special happening in the southwest corner of Hoboken. In a modest sized setting, champion athletes from across the nation descend upon a small space above a Hoboken car wash facility on Observer Highway.
What brings the prominent athletes to the location? It’s EDGE Hoboken Wrestling, a satellite campus of the EDGE Wrestling School. They’ve now entered their second year of teaching young wrestlers from Hudson County how to grapple with opponents.
Dave Esposito, the head of the staff and wrestling coach, said he wrestled throughout his youth, and thinks of the sport as a “brotherhood.”
“I met some of my best friends through wrestling,” Esposito said. “[The sport] has provided great opportunities for me. Whenever you can provide the same opportunities for youth, you do it. It’s the kind of sport where you always want to give back.”
“To hear the champ, and be taught and learn from them, that goes a long way for the kids.” – Dave Esposito
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“We’re here now to bring wrestling to the area because there was no program,” Esposito said.
In addition to the EDGE Wrestling programs, Esposito and his staff founded a Hoboken Police Athletic League Wrestling team.
“We connected with Bobby Gohde, who runs all the P.A.L. programs in Hoboken, followed up with Leo Pellegrini [Director of Health and Human Services], put it out in the schools, and we had a real good turnout,” Esposito said.
So besides the private lessons they give kids from all over Hudson County, the school worked with a dedicated group of Hoboken youths.
“When we first started, we had 60 kids sign up,” he said.
After some practices, the program whittled down to 40 participants, which was still a large turnout, according to Esposito. In their second year, the number of attendees is about the same.
Along with instruction from Esposito, the youth wrestlers have also learned from wrestling household names such as Obe Blanc, who wrestled on the U.S. National Team, Coleman Scott, a collegiate national champion, and Kendall Cross, a former Olympian.
“A lot of them have stories that inspire young kids,” Esposito said. “To hear the champ, and be taught and learn from them, that goes a long way for the kids.”
A county issue
The sport has grown in Hudson County over the last few years. Anthony Verdi coaches wrestling at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City, which is one of the larger wrestling programs in the county. But he said that not every city has a program, so it’s good that schools like EDGE exist.
“I believe wrestling has grown in Hudson County over the last five to 10 years, partly because of the popularity of MMA [mixed martial arts] and the establishment of local, reputable community schools like the EDGE in Hoboken,” Verdi said. “Most of our kids who enter our program without experience come from Jersey City or other towns in the county. In Jersey City there is no option for them to wrestle in public schools.”
Esposito said since the program is in the early phase, they haven’t made any formal plans to expand wrestling into Hoboken High School, but it isn’t out of the question for the future.
“It’s definitely something that has crossed our minds,” Esposito said. “I’m not totally versed in what it takes. I would hope there would be some public interest to give these kids an opportunity to wrestle.”
Verdi believes an expansion of wrestling in the county would be a positive.
“I think Hudson County needs wrestling,” Verdi said. “Most towns have seen the benefits of the sport and have implemented youth programs, and that has spilled over into the high schools.”
Esposito and Verdi both believe that the skills learned in wrestling go beyond success on the mat.
“Wrestling provides young people with a productive outlet and the skills they will need to succeed in life,” Verdi said, “discipline, self-confidence, a strong work ethic, and character. It is so much more than the physical benefits. I would like to see it grow even more in Hudson County and expand to all towns and high schools. It is a win-win situation for all involved.”
For more information about EDGE Hoboken Wrestling, visit EdgeHoboken.com.
Ray Smith may be reached at RSmith@hudsonreporter.com