Beyond the Mat: Borrelli more than a coach, mentor to his players and staff
Coach Borrelli speaks with his players after practice Wednesday Jan. 7.
On a brisk winter evening along a highway stretching somewhere through the Midwest, a bus packed with Central Michigan University wrestlers is headed home.
The men belch, tease each other about former girlfriends and eventually fall asleep in their seats.
Long before the bus falls quiet, the CMU wrestlers decide a game of cards is the perfect way to pass time on the roadtrip.
Surprisingly, when the players ask their head coach Tom Borrelli to join them, he refuses with a smile.
“I try to stay a little bit away from that kind of stuff,” Borrelli explained. “If you play cards with a guy, you can study him and get to know what he’s really like.”
In attempt to get the best out of his players, Borrelli makes sure to maintain a psychological edge.
“Wrestling is such a close and personal game,” he said. “You really get to know a kid’s personality. You have to push them to the limit three or four times a week. You can do that so much more effectively if you stay distant a little bit.”
Effective is exactly what Borrelli has been during his two decades with CMU’s nationally-acclaimed program.
Claiming 13 Mid-American Conference titles, Borrelli has coached multiple wrestlers to All-American honors in nine out of the past 10 seasons.
Borrelli’s most impressive stretch is 2002-12 when the Chippewas won 11 consecutive MAC crowns.
“Even during that time, there were dips in our performance,” Borrelli said. “Every four or five years you have to start over again regardless of success. I’ve been blessed with a number of talented student-athletes and coaches that have helped make (those titles) happen.”
Watching former players and assistant coaches grow and take better jobs and opportunities is what has kept Borrelli optimistic and rejuvenated each year, he said.
Ryan Cunningham, a former wrestler at CMU under Borrelli and assistant coach on the team, said Borrelli's legacy cannot be measured by mere conference titles or the athletic achievements of his players.
Borrelli’s presence inspires something much greater than wrestling.
“He really is like a father figure to a lot of guys,” Cunningham said. “I know he was for me. He just has a way of making it obvious that he really cares. The guys really appreciate that.”
When he is not preparing for the Chippewas next match or on the road recruiting in the offseason, Borrelli can be found in his office chatting with his family of players both past and present about school, life and the love of the sport they share.
“With social media, it’s a lot easier to keep up with people than it used to be,” Borrelli said. “That’s probably the most rewarding part of this job … getting to see those guys go on to achieve great things.”
As season after season passes, the former Clemson Tiger has watched the sport he is fascinated with evolve and modernize.
“We change little things from year to year,” Borrelli said. “Every generation has different things that motivate them. You have to change with those things. Technique and how you teach the game changes, too. I’ve had to adapt.”
During his four years with coach Borrelli, senior wrestler Mike Ottinger has watched his coach adjust and connect with each one of his teammates.
“It’s really kind of hard to describe,” Ottinger says. “It’s almost like you wouldn’t ever understand if you weren’t one of his players. He really loves us. It’s all about that for him.”
Ottinger recalled Thanksgiving dinners and holiday bonding time at coach Borrelli’s house in Mount Pleasant.
“He makes that kind of stuff so much fun,” Ottinger said. “It’s crazy how close we’ve gotten … all of us really. He’s seen so many guys over his time here, but he still makes it special.
“He really can’t be replaced.”
