One hundred wins was quite the achievement for varsity wrestling head coach, Mr. Ruggiero, but that’s not why he coaches the sport. Ruggiero is humbled by the success of his wrestlers, but does not measure the success by the amount of wins they have acquired.

“It is a nice milestone but I don’t really think about how many wins I have,” Ruggiero said. No matter how many wins his wrestlers end up with, he knows that does not define how good he or his boys are.

Ruggiero wrestled up until 2002, all the way through college. He was a key component to his team being incredibly skilled himself. In 2001, during his college career he began to coach wrestling. Ruggiero’s love for the sport has enabled him to coach every year since his first coaching job.

“It’s only you on the mat, you and no one else to blame,” Ruggiero said. He appreciates the sport for the fact that the success an athlete has weighs on their determination. During the matches it’s one on one the whole time.

Ruggiero has been the head coach at West Essex for quite some time now and has produced some of the best wrestlers the school has ever seen.

“He makes me appreciate the sport more and and apply it to my life,” senior captain Noah Struss said.

Ruggiero works hard to do what he loves day in and day out. He will continue to make the West Essex wrestling program better every year.