Wrestling Not The Same in Toronto Schools

Something called "The Whizzer" had a huge role in the demise of high school wrestling in the Toronto Catholic District School Board.

Almost 30 years ago, an over-the-hip throw resulted in an injury that paralyzed a high school wrestler from the neck down. Jim Lorefice was 16 years old at the time, a student at Cardinal Newman High, and newspaper reports said that he was attempting the throw during a wrestling competition and fell awkwardly on his head. He suffered a broken neck and crushed verterbrae.

Not sure whatever happened to him, but wrestling took a back seat in the Toronto Catholic Board for years. Only recently have a few schools started up teams, but the Toronto District Colleges Athletic Association doesn't have a championship and the sport is not even mentioned on its website.

Some people don't like wrestling at the school level. Some do. I really don't care - as long as students understand the sport, have qualified coaches, officials are quick with the whistle and medical staff are nearby - if needed. Injuries happen, serious ones too, in many sports. I also know school officials shake fearing legal battles from injuries.

The Ontario high school wrestling championships, boys and girls, are set for Tillsonburg in a few weeks. Should be some very good competition - and the sport is very strong in the regions surrounding Toronto. But in the big city, a hard sell. Interest, even in the Toronto District School Board, isn`t as popular as in past.

I remember reporting from the provincial school finals last year and was very impressed with Johnathan Hatzis, a kid with the heart of a champion. He was born without legs and almost won the gold medal in his 41 kilos weight category. We could all learn a few things from his determination to participate - despite a disability. And how about Dustin Carter, a wrestler from a small town in Ohio, who also got through adversity to participate. Saw his video on You Tube.

Comments

[Wil]

Hey David, thanks for the blog post. Just a point of information, the move is actually called the "whizzer".

[Dobber]

Ban the sport in schools.
Not because it's a bad sport.
There are more un-qualified teachers coaching than those who know what they're doing.
It is not worth taking a chance on a kids life.

[Big Al]

That video of Dustin reminded me of that kid from Thunder Bay.
How inspiring. Thank you for posting it.
Next time I hear one of my athletes complain about practise or having a pulled muscle, I'll remind him about Dustin and Johnathan.

[Matt Boone]

Wrestling is no different from hockey or football when it comes down to physical punishment. If you don't want to get hurt, stay at home and play frisbee with the dog.

[Anonymous Coach]

Anybody ask the question as to why wrestling is doing so well outside of Toronto and why it continues to stink the house out in big and beautiful Cabbagetown Toronto?
No interest. Very few good coaches. Too much politics in the Toronto School Board and worries about going to court when a student lands up in a wheelchair.

[A.J.]

1980.
That was the only year that a Toronto school won an OFSSAA boys wrestling championship since they started some 50 years ago.
Here's another number - zero.
That's the number of times Toronto schools won an OFSSAA girls wrestling title.
Get the point.

[Kevin]

I would wager there are more serious accidents in rugby, hockey and football than wrestling. But you do raise a valid issue in the need for qualified coaches. This is seriously lacking in schools because there is also little administrative support and especially from female principals.

[Rocky]

Does anyone remember the days when girls wrestled with boys because there were no girls teams. Did anyone, other than pride, get hurt?

[Albert]

Great topic and I am surprised all the wrestling fanatics aren't all over you.

[Mr. Richards]

Wrestling....yuk.
Teach kids to wrestle so that when they do it for fun in the class, and get suspended, then they can say it all started with the wrestling team.
Schools need to understand that you don't offer every sport under the rainbow because someone else is doing it.
Have certified coaches, with resources and support from the school administration, or deep-six it. In my opinion, it's not worth the risk of problems.

[Dobber]

I sure hope that I am not reading a story in the Star soon about a high school wrestler paralyzed because of some questionable coaching.

[Neil]

How do we know it was poor coaching? Is every accident the result of poor coaching?

[Wilkes]

Hey Neil, you have a point.
But I believe some of the people on this thread believe far too many coaches are also un-qualified and there is something there as well.
I read Grossman saying that coaches should be certified in wrestling skills and fundamentals or it's not worth risking legal problems.

[Coach W.]

I am a high school wrestling coach and can admit to two things. Yes, I am certified and know my stuff. Yes, there are far too many people pretending to be certified and coaching that should be told to take a hike.

[Neil]

True, I have to admit there are some coaches for whom I would not like to have coach my children.....still, we have to be careful not to cast to wide a net when blaming coaching incompetence for every injury....it is a rough sport (I love hearing the football players say that wrestling practice is WAY harder). It is a great sport and underappreciated (like many high school sports).

[Jim]

Can you please explain why the Star did not list any of the various high school wrestling championships?
I had always assumed you list all the results when they are given to your paper and found it surprising that nothing has appeared.

[Miller]

Wrestling's biggest problem is that the people behind the high school sport fail miserably to promote their sport the way coaches do for basketball and hockey. Just looking at the media coverage gives a very clear picture.

[The King]

I have found that schools come out of hiding when they have good news to share with the world. Otherwise, they're like that rodent that surfaces once a year to find out if he has a shadow.

[David Grossman]

Various high school regional wrestling championships have occured, and despite our continuing efforts to get results, the majority of leagues have not provided them to us.
If they did, they would have appeared in the paper and on our website. I can't understand how difficult it is for one person to be assigned the job - and then communicate the information accurately.
Nothing from Halton, York, Durham or the CISAA. Peel and Toronto both sent in results a day late and in keeping with our direction to schools for same day results, well, the message apparently did not get through.

[Kevin]

There are un-qualified coaches in all sports at all levels. But do not blame coaches for an injury. In hockey if someone gets hit from behind and the athlete suffers an injury I never hear the coach being blamed.

Wrestling is a great sport and builds a lot of self confidence. It does not cause fighting in class and suspension. This would be a few cases by people that do not respect the sport. I see more Hockey, Rugby, and Lacrosse players in my area, that fight with everyone.

Every sport has flaws somewhere. But do not knock wrestling just because you might not understand it. If you give it real chance it will grow on you.

[Peel Fan]

Why is it that every almost article or blog post about wrestling includes some mention of an incident that, however horrible, took place 30 years ago? The few exceptions seem to instead substitute another incident from 3 or 4 years ago in Durham. I don't see every basketball article start with the unfortunate death of a young man who died while dunking during the warm up of a game in Guelph that made the Star news, yet wrestling articles always include mention of an extreme but rare injury. Is there some kind of anti-wrestling bias that exists in the mind of the Star's high school overlord?

[Forbes]

You have to have a few loose marbles to think wrestling is a great sport for high school kids. I understand it and it's brutal, not as barbaric as rugby, but still brutal.
I can say it because I believe it and that's my opinion. I read what "Kevin" said and he's also entitled to his opinion.
Since when are coaches oblivious to injury issues. Coaches, if deemed to be at fault for something, can and should be blamed for problems in any sport
I don't see Grossman knocking wrestling but offering some comments. I also think the sport is getting too much attention anyway. I also don't need it to grow on me. Please. More emphasis should be on high school hockey and basketball.

[Big Mac]

That person who writes in as Peel Fan must be some kid that should be in bed right now.
How can anyone compare the brutality of wrestling, yes at the high school level, with basketball?
I don't see basketball players breaking necks.

[Bobby]

Wrestling - yuk.

[Kevin]

maybe not breaking necks, but they apparently like to jump into the stands and attack fans, this has happened several times. Breaking a neck in wreslting is a rare instance, I have never seen one in my 20 years competing. You may get jammed and get something like a "stinger" it hurts but it heals like most injuries in any sport, these injuries also happen in your lovely hockey, basketball and football.
Wrestling is not a sport for everyone, nor do I think everyone should do it, but in the 20 years I have been involved with the sport I have seen it do wonders for many young adults with lots of disabilities. We allow blind wrestlers to compete with the sighted, ppl with no legs and many others. I don't see any other sport doing this...

If you are living through your child to be a meal ticket and make the NHL than do not put them into wrestling because they won't be doing the sport for money, but pride which won't pay you in your retirement