Takedown Report

Officially speaking, Haselrig headed to Pa. Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame

Bruce Haselrig was coaching the fledgling Pitt-Johnstown wrestling program when he became an official during the 1970s. Back then, Haselrig figured his love of the sport as well as the opportunity for him to see some of the region’s top high school wrestlers were good enough reasons to don the striped shirt and carry a whistle onto the mat. “I was at UPJ when I started officiating,” said Haselrig, who will be inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame as a contributor on May 19 in State College. “When we started the wrestling program at UPJ, I figured if I became an official I could see some of the best wrestlers for recruiting. “It kept going and just took off. I’ve been at the right place at the right time,” said Haselrig, 74, one of 10 members in the Class of 2019. “I’ve had a lot of big matches and was able to do well and succeed.”

Haselrig started the Pitt-Johnstown program in 1973-74 with the strong support of then-Athletic Director Ed Sherlock. Labeled a junior varsity team, the Mountain Cats went 8-0. The following year, Pitt-Johnstown moved to the “varsity” level and finished 9-6-1 under Haselrig. His close friend Curt Davis took the reins the next year and then Pat Pecora started his hall of fame career as the Mountain Cats coach in 1976-77. While his coaching career at Pitt-Johnstown was brief, that supposedly part-time officiating gig evolved into something very special for Haselrig and the region’s wrestling community. Rest of the story at https://www.tribdem.com/sports/mike-mastovich-officially-speaking-haselrig-headed-to-pa-wrestling-coaches/article_d1d79148-6ee6-11e9-b5dc-975b0a2290b7.html?mc_cid=c0e1f6bcd6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

May 6, 2019 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized