I am sure many of you have heard the news about the wrestling program at Hartford Public. If not, the administration decided to cut the program for budget reasons...I'm not really sure how a few thousand dollars out-weighs a young man's life. I had pretty much thrown in the towel with my fight to keep the program and then I got a handful of emails and phone calls from some very concerned coaches throughout the state and many of my formal wrestlers who basically said the program saved their lives.
Many of my student-athletes go on to prep school and college. I have two young men at Salisbury Prep... KJ Johnson a SO and Robert Ruiz a JR. Both of these kids are amazing kids that I felt deserved to get out of Hartford, get into prep school and give them the chance to open up as many doors as possible. Robert wants to be an orthopedic surgeon and is on track to do so. He shadowed a medical team for ten days this summer and has competeted on the CT National team for two years. KJ was my QB on the FR football team last year and my 189lbr.
I know most of you remember Brian Sanford- who went to Westminster Prep, currently a SR on the Temple FB team along with two other kids I coached(Temple actually "borrowed" our slogan from one of Brians wrestling T-shirts that had "Flip the Switch" on it and this slogan has gotten them a great deal of attention now that they are leading the MAC), Luis Gomez- attended Suffield Academy...now up at AIC, Luis Padilla who went to Gunnery Prep and Dickenson College and Jonathan Velasquez who starts for D-1 Gardner-Webb... For many of the kids I worked with, buying into flipping the switch from being in gangs and living the "thug life" to becoming a student-athlete and the fact they just graduated is a huge success. The reality is that 29% of the kids at HP graduate in four years.
One of my kids just returned from the war in Afganistan. He became a Marine and is the leader of about 50 Marines. He recently came home on an emergency leave and has been coming into my school talking to my students. He talked about growing up in the Nelton Court projects and getting caught up in the street life during middle school. He had lost his father when he was 5 and lost his mom his SO year..he told the kids if it wasn't for joining the wrestling program at HP...he would probably be dead or running the streets...he also attributed his discipline and leadership skills to all the hardwork and commitment he put into wrestling. While patrolling the streets, he was ambushed by about 30 Afgans, had one of his men shot and killed right in front of him and the other 3 guys looked to HIM for direction...the four of them managed to fight them off for 10 minutes until back up arrived! It was after listening to this young mans' story (20 yo Jose Rodriguez) that I knew I couldn't give up the fight to help these kids. He was my 103lbr 3 yrs ago!
I am asking for coaches, athletes and refs to write a letter in support of the program and I will present a packet to the principals to persuade them to change their minds.
You can email a letter to me @ hpcoach@snet.net
Time is of the essence!
Thank you for your support,

Coach Meyers

Coach,

I have known you for many years, and have had many encounters with you and your teams. Every word you say is true. It bothers me more than anything to see sports programs get cut, especially in the inner city who in my opinion need it the most. Especially when just years ago all these new schools were build in the city.
Coming from East Hartford in my day is certainly different then it is now. But I can tell you for certain if it wasn't for Coach Konopka and the wrestling program, I would not find myself here or as half a man as I turned into. Imagine how bad my spelling would of been then.LOL

I have some great memories of hanging out with some of the guys from the 94 team. Hinton, Melendez, Torres, and Moore at off season tournaments. What a great bunch of guys. We had so funny times and they were all class acts.

I hope the letter will work. I wish this came to light earlier. I would of walked the streets with you to look for sponsor's.

I encourge all to assist if you can, a simple letter may or may not work. But it will send a message that we are a community of one. A comunity who cares dearly about our sport and the positive effect it has on young adults.

I wish you luck Paul.

Google Beat the Streets wrestling. Great program which focuses on inner city wrestling programs. They might be able to help you.

It takes a village to raise a child. It will take the CT wrestling community to save this program.

If each team pledged to raise only $100.00 we could raise roughly $10,000.
Let's organize a state wide fundraiser to keep this program alive and see how many more lives can be saved.

What about approaching USAWCT for assistance. Asking for donations at the next nutmeg tournament.

I believe that the money is the easy part, getting the commitment from the school system is the key.

Please send me an email and I will help you set up a statewide fundraiser.

Eric Manuel
Old Saybrook / Westbrook
ericsibook@mac.com