After talking with the Newtonbrook Secondary School‘s Wrestling coach, we were left with four words that perfectly describe the wrestling program at this Toronto based high school: commitment, hard-work, talent and family.Since November 2009, the Newtonbrook Wrestling Team has been practicing for three hours a day, three times a week and is considered the measuring stick for all other wrestling programs in the city.
After this year’s Toronto City Championship it looks as if this will continue.
This was the seventh straight Toronto title for the girls program and the fifth straight Toronto championship for the boys team. Expectations were placed at a high level this year and coaches Leonid Kilimnik, Jennifer Clish and Ken White credit the dedication of their 37 team members for making the 2009-10 season another successful one.
“Our program is rich in tradition and we wanted to maintain that this year,” says Kilimnik. “ We are extremely proud of all the kids. As a coaching staff, we are lucky to have them because they are all good kids who are dedicated and no matter what we throw at them they work-hard and perform.”
After finishing fourth at the provincial championships last year, the Newtonbrook Wrestling Team is hoping for another strong showing and will be looking to senior students Rebecca Mayers, Jamie Lippiatt and Dima Peskin for leadership at this year’s OFSAA championships in Tillsonburg, ON.
The Newtonbrook Wrestling program as a whole is remarkable for the continued success they showcase year in and year out. In today’s athletic community, it’s rare to see a program win a city championship seven consecutive years, especially at the high school level.
Coach Kilimnik credits tight knit friendships and a commitment to the program as the keys to their success.
“We treat our team like a family, we all work together and we all help each other out,” says Kilimnik. “There are no barriers between the various ages or abilities, everyone here helps one another to get better and to be their best.”
When Coach Ken White took the time to count up all the Newtonbrook alumni who’ve returned to visit or help out with this year’s wrestling program he came up with a staggering 17 former wrestlers. Needless to say, this type of pride and passion for a program is something that a lot of Toronto based high schools only dream about and is a testament to the success of Newtonbrook’s program.
“We are blown away by the commitment of our former wrestlers and are lucky to have them remain a part of the program,” says Kilimnik. “It really helps out with the practices and in the development of our younger wrestlers.“
Two Newtonbrook alumni who have gone beyond the call of duty to guide this year’s wrestling team are Mapleine Quizon and Cruiz Manning. Both Manning and Quizon are former OFSAA champions and needless to say, are individuals who the coaches are more than happy to have in their corner.
As the team prepares for the provincials (March 3 – March 5), one can only wonder how crowded the Newtonbrook rafters are going to be after adding two more Toronto championship banners to the gym.
Regardless of the results at OFSAA, this year’s season is considered a success and another highlight to an already decorated wrestling program.
With many younger students showing promise in the coming years, who knows how many more banners coach Kilimnik will have to hang in the Newtonbrook gym. All we know is if the program continues to posses the qualities of commitment, hard-work, talent and family, the sky really is the limit.
For more information on the OFSAA wrestling championships, please visit: http://www.ofsaa.on.ca/
ExerciseToronto.Com Staff
