Honesdale wrestlers participate in international camp in Scalia, Italy
Honesdale High School recently hosted a three-day open house for girls wrestling
Lexi DeSiato of Western Wayne makes short work of her opponent during the Wayne Highlands Middle School girls wrestling match.
Kevin Edwards, Independent from three counties
SCALEA, Italy – Honesdale is coming off another outstanding season on the high school wrestling mat.
The Hornets fought their way to the Lackawanna League Division II title and then captured the District 2 Class AA doubles crown.
Coach Ryan Chulada’s team suffered two consecutive losses at the state championships, but quickly rebounded to take first place in each of the district tournaments.
Putting together another season like this will be a big challenge, but Honesdale’s coaching staff has put together a very special offseason program that promises to put the Hornets back in the thick of the championship race.
In addition to hard work in the weight room, a dozen wrestlers recently returned from an epic international trip to Italy to participate in the Liuzzi Wrestling Camp 2024, where they came into contact with teams from across Europe and the United States.
More: Honesdale Boys Varsity Wrestling Team wins another district title
Also from Kevin Edwards: Honesdale boys wrestling team advances to district duel championship game
“This trip is about much more than just wrestling,” Chulada said. “It teaches our children about the world they live in. And the education they receive from visiting some of the world’s most important historical sites is priceless.”
Tour guide and accompanying person
Michael Ondich has been a member of the Honesdale varsity coaching staff for eight years.
He wrestled at St. Joseph’s Regional High School in Montvale, NJ and at the University of Scranton, then embarked on a long and successful coaching career in upstate New York before moving to Wayne County following his retirement in 2016.
Since 1993, Ondich has been organizing international trips that combine hard work, fun and a real learning experience for hundreds of student-athletes.
This year’s adventure began on July 1, when 13 wrestlers and two coaches boarded a jet at JFK for Rome. After nearly nine hours of flight time, they landed in Italy, transferred to another flight to Naples, and then took a bus to Scalea.
The Liuzzi Wrestling Camp 2024 took place at the Santa Caterina Hotel, a beautiful facility on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The Hornet wrestlers took part in two training sessions a day and then put their new knowledge to the test in a competition every evening.
They worked hard on the mat, but also spent a lot of time on the beach and in the water and enjoyed world-famous Italian cuisine.
Team building experiences
Julian Pons graduated in June. He was a member of the Honesdale wrestling team for three years and was captain his final season.
Pons was one of the Hornet wrestlers who made the trip, and it’s an experience he won’t soon forget.
“The trip to Italy was just incredible,” said Pons, who competed in the lightweight and intermediate classes during his college career.
“The people we met were great and there were some fantastic wrestlers. The coach who led the seminar was also one of the coaches in Paris at the Olympic Games. He taught us a lot of new techniques for freestyle wrestling.”
Reed Howell was another member of the group. Howell is a sophomore looking to build on his solid freshman season. Last year he competed in the 127 and 133 pound weight classes.
“Some of my fondest memories of the trip are from when we were at camp,” Howell said. “The most memorable moments were when Coach Ondich brought all the Honesdale kids together for team building.”
“They were so much fun. Everyone seemed to really bond and we got to know each other on a much deeper level.”
Ondich emphasized that these team-building exercises were one of the most important parts of the experience.
“The kids learned that it’s important to represent themselves, their school and their country in a positive way,” he said. “They all worked hard and I’m proud of them. They learned so much about themselves and became better teammates.”
Days of the future past
Traveling and living together over a long period of time has helped lay the foundation for what coaches and wrestlers alike hope will be a successful future.
Ondich led his young charges on several tours during their stay in Italy. This was his ninth visit to Rome and he proved to be a knowledgeable and entertaining guide.
Highlights of these adventures included visits to the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Spanish Steps, Castel Sant’Angelo, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.
In total, the group hiked nearly 35 miles during their three days in Rome, creating memories that Ondich hopes will last a lifetime.
“I couldn’t have found a better group of young men and women to go on this trip with,” he said. “Hopefully they will tell others about their experiences and we will have another phenomenal trip in two years.”
