HOWELL – The physical competition known as wrestling extends back thousands of years, even predating the early Olympic Games in Ancient Greece. Of course, the rules have been modified since the brutality of the ancient games, and while learning the basics is necessary to becoming a successful wrestler, mastering the proper techniques is pivotal to becoming successful in competition.
In an effort to always expand its list of program offerings to the greater community, the Howell P.A.L. has partnered with a local wrestling coach with a program that teaches youngsters the basics of wrestling.
The partnership is truly a unique one, bringing together members of the Howell community to put this program in place. In fact, the end result was the combined efforts of P.A.L. head Chris Hill, local Howell businessman Bill Stanton, and former Deputy Mayor Pam Richmond.
Former high school and college wrestler Pete Riley serves as the head coach of the Reilly Wrestling Club, which seeks to help uninitiated youngsters learn the basics they will need to pursue wrestling at higher levels. Reilly, who has worked as a youth coach since graduating Johnson & Wales University, is currently the off-season training specialist for Howell High School’s wrestling program and will serve as assistant coach this upcoming fall season.
What began as a Sunday morning outlet for his young son’s excess energy during the COVID pandemic lockdown in 2020, soon morphed into something more as others got involved. Before long several of Reilly’s friends in the wrestling community with young children began to join him at the location near Casino Drive in Howell.
Coach Pete Reilly leads his young wrestlers in techniques on the floor mat. (Photo by Mark Bator)
“When COVID shut [everything] down, my son was in kindergarten, and kindergarteners have a load of energy,” explains Reilly. “There’s a little wrestling barn on Casino Drive in Howell. The capacity might be about ten kids. So, we started out there every Sunday, and then we got too big for that [location]. The kids were all climbing on the walls, so we started calling it the ‘Reilly Wrestling Club Wall Rats’ because they were just a bunch of little guys climbing on the walls.”
When they outgrew that space, the group moved to the Impact MMA location in Wall Township, and before long, Reilly’s club had amassed close to 35 youngsters of varying ages. But when that venue became too small, the necessity for additional space brought about a partnership with the Howell P.A.L.
“Pete’s a long-timer here in Howell,” explained former Deputy Mayor Pamela Richmond, “went through the ranks, wrestled here, [and] helps coach the wrestling. He’s like a four- or five-year-old himself sometimes. He called me and asked me if I had any ideas of where we could find a place for him to bring his kids. So, I called Sgt. Chris Hill at the [Howell] P.A.L. and set up a meeting.”
The characterization of Reilly as a man-child is one that he readily embraces. “I was basically just a freaking five-year-old out there in a thirty-seven-year-old body,” says Reilly regarding his time as a youth wrestling coach. “I’ve known Sgt. Hill for a while. Everybody’s been believing in me more than I’ve been believing in myself. I’ve always coached wrestling, basically for free, ever since I was 22. My [college] coach used to always tell us to pay it forward, give back to the sport that gave to you. So, I knew pretty quickly I was going to get into coaching. That’s all I knew, was to give back. It was really Billy and Pam basically contacting Sgt. Hill saying, ‘hey, we got something really, really great here going, and I think the P.A.L. would be a great fit for you guys.’ So, Pam is the one who actually told me about this.”
The Howell P.A.L. has a multitude of activities and programs, and is always looking to add more.
“We have programs with one kid,” continues Hill. “It’s not about size. It’s about what they want to do. These are kids from the community. They don’t have to be Howell [residents]. We provide for every other sport and every other activity, why not wrestling?”
But in order for Reilly’s wrestling club to be associated with the P.A.L., there was some basic housekeeping that needed to be addressed. The biggest concern was making sure that liability insurance could be extended to include wrestling, as well as covering the additional custodial costs and operating expenses for opening up the gym facilities on a Sunday.
“I can just add it, I have a lot of insurance,” jokes Hill about the additional expense. “So, [we added] that component under it, and the only thing that means is that all the kids have to sign a P.A.L. application. That way, they become P.A.L. kids, so they’re covered.” In return, Reilly’s club, which has a membership fee to join, will pay the Howell P.A.L. to use the space.
“I mean if that’s the least I could do,” explained Hill regarding the mission of the P.A.L. “I want to save all the kids, not just some of them.”
The hour-long sessions are fast-paced and upbeat. (Photo by Mark Bator)
Always looking to expand, the Howell P.A.L. is piloting other ideas to involve the community’s youth, including another robotics course, high-tech courses about cyber security and anti-terrorism, as well as a broadcasting program in which adolescents and teens will record public service announcements about bullying or drug abuse for airing on the local Howell cable television station.
“My thought has always been,” says Hill about the myriad of P.A.L. programs, “if a kid wants to do it, let’s try.” All the activities put forth by the P.A.L. have one common goal, namely, fostering an environment that helps steer the community’s youth from drugs, crime, violence, and other challenges they face in modern society. That goal was one that Hill believes the youth wrestling program could help the P.A.L. to achieve, which is what sparked the unique relationship.
Coach Pete Reilly greets a young wrestler as he enters the gym. (Photo by Mark Bator)
“We got to talk about things outside of wrestling,” Reilly said, recounting his discussion with Hill. “and I got to tell him things that we do, and how our culture is. And ultimately, it got even more to drugs, and keeping kids off the street. My brother-in-law died of a heroin overdose. Chris Hill has been a part of this community for a long time. He’s seen the things that have happened to young people around here and once our conversation started heading in that direction, he was like, ‘oh, this guy is more than just trying to get wrestlers in the door’.”
Coach Reilly’s club currently meets on Sunday mornings at the P.A.L. facility at 115 Kent Road in Howell. The high-energy workout is geared toward fun while youngsters between the ages of four to 11 learn the basics of wrestling. Interested parties can contact Reilly at 732-966-4876 or peterr@dynastymn.com.
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