The Impact of Sports on the Community Story

Amy Breckin
Professor Bishop
Com. 305-001
April 18, 2007

Maybe it’s the Luck of the Irish

Senior Anthony Trongone, 18, of Camden Catholic High School reached the epitome of what every wrestler dreams about, he pinned his way to the 2007 New Jersey State Championship Wrestling title. Anthony, who wrestles in the 171-pound weight class and is the Fighting Irish team captain, has that something special that we do not often see and has an amazing story to tell about his life, wrestling, and overcoming obstacles.

Anthony Trongone has wrestled his entire high school career and in those four years, all he wanted was the coveted title of New Jersey State Champion. Anthony explains, “No matter what you do in life, you are always working towards something. You want to accomplish something. I had my mind set on winning the title. Nothing would stop me. As my dad always says, ‘Anthony, there is no fear.’”

Anthony has excelled at almost everything that he has set his mind to accomplishing. He is a straight A student, spends his summers working at a camp for children, and has had an outstanding high school wrestling career. Anthony has celebrated more than 100 personal victories in career matches, and has celebrated with his team nine District Championships and nine New Jersey Parochial State Championships. The Fighting Irish were the 2007 New Jersey State Champions with 28 wins and two loses on the season.

Although the Fighting Irish have celebrated team success, Anthony believed that he was fighting a personal battle. Last season, Anthony lost the state title by coming in second at his last match of the season in 2006. He thought about quitting wrestling because he was so devastated over the loss. Anthony explains, “I was discouraged after that match. It was mine to win. I lost, and the person I had to blame was myself. Winning is everything, if people say it isn’t then they’re lying. You play to win, and I lost. I had to wrestle my best match and I gave up. I wanted to quit after that.” Anthony did not quit though, he received some strong advice from his coach, Pete DiPol. Coach DiPol says, “I gave Anthony some advice. I told him that I was proud of him and that he was a junior and still had one more year to win. Don’t give up when you still have time to fix the mistakes and try again.”

The new 2006-2007 season began with Anthony Trongone as team captain and as a man on mission to collect his title. Anthony said, “I waited 357 days to get that taste out of my mouth.” The 2006-2007 Fighting Irish wrestling team has much to be proud of based on their performance this year. The team attributes that to the great support that they received from the school and the surrounding community. Assistant coach Nick Papa explains the “Irish Fever” that swept through the school, “It was amazing. We had pep rallies, a bon fire, and even had students post music videos about the team on YouTube. The parents attended every match. We even had an awesome basket full of goodies sent to us from one of our rivals, Paul VI High School in Haddonfield. It was great, the whole community really got involved.”

Anthony Trongone found his inner strength during a trying time and achieved his goal. In recent days, Anthony learned that he may need to dig deep within himself to search for this inner strength once again. Last month, Anthony accepted a wrestling scholarship offer from Virginia Tech. Over the past few days, everyone has witnessed the devastation that took place in Blacksburg, Virginia on the Virginia Tech campus. 33 people died in Monday’s massacre, Anthony Trongone is supposed to leave this July for an early summer session at Virginia Tech. Once again, Anthony is having doubts. He explains, “Of course, I’m scared. I am really rethinking this decision.”

Anthony was really looking forward to the college experience, but a twist of fate has once again tested Anthony’s faith and has left him questioning whether he wants to start his collegiate journey at Virginia Tech. Anthony shared his feelings about the massacre, “I was excited for this new experience and to take my class in the summer. I really wanted to meet my new team and begin working out with them. I was proud to be a Hokie. This whole situation makes you rethink your priorities and makes Virginia Tech look really bad, but I would think that after this experience, Virginia Tech will be the safest campus in the country.”

The decision whether or not to fulfill his obligation to Virginia Tech remains in Anthony’s hands, but his parents have weighed in on the decision. Anthony’s father, Tony, spoke with Hokies head wrestling coach, Kevin Dresser, and feels as though his son should fulfill his obligation. Tony said, “This was an isolated incident, one student with a sick agenda. You could go outside tomorrow and get hit by a bus and be dead, or get shot. That is life. You cannot run from things like this. He should go and he will be safe. Of course I will worry about him, but I always worry about him. Knowing Anthony, he will think about this and make the right decision. He’s just a little scared right now.”

Anthony’s high school coach, Pete DiPol also gave him some advice about Virginia Tech, “I told him to go. If you look at the school without this incident, it’s an excellent school. He will excel, they have a great wrestling program. This incident will eventually blow over and security will be tighter than a drum at that school. He has nothing to worry about.” Coach DiPol also said that Anthony should not worry about this situation now, but instead bask in the glory of his New Jersey State Championship Wrestling title, and concentrate on the senior prom and graduation.

Sometimes everyone wishes that life was as simple as the good old days of proms and graduation. Anthony Trongone’s favorite catchphrase is, “no fear.” That is what he is channeling right now. Anthony is going to put his full concentration on graduating and he will be a Virginia Tech Hokie next fall. Anthony decided to fulfill his obligation. He explained his decision, “The way I see it, I faced a bad situation last year, I was down and out. Virginia Tech is facing this same feeling. I didn’t give up and neither will they. They need to rise up against this. I would be a coward and a fool to give up this opportunity. Go Hokies!”

Anthony Trongone is the 2007 New Jersey State Wrestling Champion and a part of the Virginia Tech class of 2011.