Borrelli's disciples coaching in his footsteps
Athletes can be an extension of their head coach on and off the field, court or mat.
This is the case for wrestlers who were coached by Central Michigan head coach Tom Borrelli.
At least 17 of his former wrestlers are now head or assistant wrestling coaches.
Brad Anderson took the head coaching position at Forrest Hills Central High School in 2005, one year after his wrestling career at CMU concluded.
Anderson had his most successful season of his tenure this year, finishing 19-6 and winning a conference championship.
Like many others, he said he thinks Borrelli created a breeding ground at CMU for wrestlers with a desire to teach others their craft.
“I don’t think there is any other college coach in the country that has produced so many high school teachers and coaches that are now giving back to the sport,” Anderson said.
Greg Mayer and Davon Gray are head coaches at rival high schools.
They competed as wrestlers in high school, became wrestling partners at CMU and now stand on opposite sidelines. Their teams met for the first time on Jan. 26, 2011.
“Obviously we're not competing anymore, so it’s a little bit more of a chess match,” Mayer said.
Mayer has been the head coach at Warren Woods-Tower High School since 1999. He is fourth all-time at CMU in pins.
Gray recently returned to wrestling to be head coach at Roseville.
Mayer had his own hypothesis on why he came back to the sport.
“If you ever considered yourself a wrestler, it’s nothing you can remove yourself from completely,” Mayer said. “Eventually you’re going to come back in one form or another.”
Both coaches have had success. Mayer has won eight-straight district championships. Gray has pushed his team to the final eight in each of his first two seasons.
Chippewas rival Eastern Michigan is loaded with CMU alumni.
David Bolyard arrived at EMU in 2008. He is one of 15 Chippewas wrestlers to tally at least 100 wins in his wrestling career with CMU.
He used his position at EMU to land college roommate Luke Smith a spot last August.
The Eagles clinched a winning record in the Mid-American Conference this year for the first time since the 1990-91 season, with them serving under EMU head coach Derek DelPorto.
“They’re doing very good,” Borrelli said. “Their program is improving. It’s on an upswing,”
Bolyard said some of their success is because of Smith.
“He’s a type of kid our guys can relate to,” Bolyard said. “He’s not in there tearing them down or anything. He’s in there building them up, giving them individual skill instruction they need.”
Wrestling is a lifestyle
“(I learned) how to set the right example for kids, and how to get them to live the right lifestyle to accomplish goals,” Bolyard said.
Bolyard isn't the only one who learned from Borrelli that wrestling is more than just a sport.
“I think back to college, there is so much temptation and it’s a time of growth for young men,” Anderson said. “Coach Borrelli really navigates you through that time of your life well.”
Borrelli is humble regarding the effect he had on the coaches he groomed.
“Most of it has to do with them. Their accomplishments speak for themselves,” he said. “Because they’ve accomplished things, been All-Americans and multiple time All-Americans, people want to have them involved in their program.”
Borrelli said there is only one coach who asks for his advice in coaching – his son Jason, head coach at Stanford.
Jason jokingly said his father has been tempted to bill him for all the guidance he asks from his father.
Borrelli has been impressed with his son’s efforts. Jason’s team had arguably the most successful season in program history last year.
Jason said he went into this profession less because of his father, and more because his failures as a wrestler.
“The fact that I didn’t accomplish maybe what I felt like I could accomplish as an athlete sparks the desire to help others,” he said. “There’s that desire to teach or help kids in maybe some ways I felt like I made mistakes.”
Most people around CMU felt Jason overachieved as a wrestler, but nothing short of a National Championship was enough to satisfy him.
“Jason was probably one of the hardest workers on the team,” Anderson said. “We all respected Jason because he embodied the wrestling lifestyle.”
Jason said one thing he took from his father is setting goals that are higher than what the wrestlers think their ceiling is.
One thing he does differently is handle wrestlers one by one instead of collectively. He said his father is more old school with his military roots.
“I hope I can be a 10th of the coach he is … He’s someone I have so much respect for," Jason said about his father. " And not just because he’s my dad. Just stepping away, he’s a great coach.”
