Southmoreland wrestling program marks golden anniversary
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Southmoreland wrestling program and some of those involved in this history want it to be recognized with a nod to Joe Grimm, the man who started it all.
A reunion of people involved in a half century of Southmoreland wrestling is scheduled for Dec. 17 at the high school.
“We're inviting all the former wrestlers for 50 years and former coaches,” said Phil Detore, one-time Southmoreland wrestling coach.
The current Scotties wrestling team will take on Yough that night at 7, but there are many activities planned before that match.
Wrestling alumni, coaches and their families are invited to a “meet and greet” gathering to begin at 5:30 p.m. in the high school cafeteria.
During the gathering, a video presentation will de shown, highlighting memories of 50 years of Scottie wrestling. Also, all team photographs will be on display and refreshments will be available.
At about 6:30 p.m., a pre-match ceremony will be held in the gymnasium with all wrestlers and coaches being introduced and those who garnered honors will be recognized for that.
Detore and Tom Manns, who was involved in the program including a stint as junior high head coach, said discussions about such an event have been in the works for about two years.
“(We wanted) to do something to honor the program, the tradition and to also honor Joe Grimm, the first coach here,” Manns said.
Detore was an assistant to Grimm from 1971 until 1975, before taking over the program and being its head coach from 1975 to 1978. He and Manns are each retired Southmoreland teachers.
“The whole focus here is on Southmoreland's wrestling community and their families,” Manns explained. “There always have been, and there always will be, families that supported wrestling with multiple sons who have come out (for wrestling). And there have been a few daughters who have participated in the program.”
Detore said the idea kind of sprung from a recent 70th reunion of the Greensburg Salem wrestling program. Detore is a graduate of Greensburg Salem and his father was a member of the school's first wrestling team. Detore said that event drew about 70-80 former wrestlers and numerous past coaches of the program.
That event also featured current wrestlers taking the time to shake hands with alumni in attendance, something he hopes to see happen at the Southmoreland reunion.
“I think it's a fantastic idea,” said Ryan Shaw, Southmoreland wrestling coach. “It's going to be a great atmosphere. We'll be wrestling Yough for the Crosstown Rivalry Cup. Having those gentleman back who won the first section championship. Having those guys around creating wisdom for the younger wrestlers. It's going to be a great night.”
When the Scottdale and East Huntingdon school districts merged to form Southmoreland, the district did not have a wrestling program.
“Joe started the whole thing from scratch,” Detore said. “There was no junior high (program), no junior Olympics. All the other sports, East Huntingdon had teams and Scottdale had teams. He was a tremendous coach. He was a motivator. He was a builder. He initiated the whole thing. Toward the end of his career Southmoreland wrestling was on top.”
In the early years, Southmoreland took on schools that had been wrestling for many years and in a lot of those cases, were perennial powers.
“They started out not doing as whole lot but in three or four years, Southmoreland began to make some headway (with) county champions, sectional champions and regional place winners,” Detore said, adding that in Grimm's last year as coach four Southmoreland wrestlers qualified for the PIAA Class AAA wrestling tournament. “That was quite a feat back then.”
That was the 1974-75 season, one in which the Scotties won their second of back-to-back section championships and placed third in the WPIAL.
Manns, who has been a PIAA wrestling official for 35 years, added the Scotties had 10 wrestlers qualify for the WPIAL wrestling tournament that season out of 12 weight classes.
“It was a phenomenal collection of athletes,” Manns said.
The pair recalled matches in the old junior high gymnasium packed with standing-room only crowds and bus loads of fans traveling to away matches.
“You couldn't get in,” Detore said.
“It was the biggest sporting event at that time,” Manns added.
This is the history that the pair hopes is recalled Dec. 17. Any wrestling alumni and coaches who attend will be admitted to the wrestling match for free.
“We want to make this pretty special,” Detore said. “Nothing like this has ever been done at Southmoreland.”
Paul Paterra is a staff editor for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-887-6101 or ppaterra@tribweb.com.
