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SPORTS INFORMATION—2009
A COACHING LEGACY CONTINUES AT UAA CHAMPIONSHIPS...
CLEVELAND, OH (February 4, 2009) - When someone has been around for 47 years, it’s not hard to tell when they’re missing. This weekend at the UAA Championships (Click to see program) the Case Western Reserve University wrestling team will see a familiar face, as Bob Del Rosa, the longest tenured head coach in school history, will make his return to Horsburgh Gymnasium to lead the Spartan grapplers.
Two years ago Del Rosa was sidelined with a heart condition, and spent months recovering from triple bypass surgery. This October, Del Rosa went to the hospital to have his gallbladder removed, and ended up spending almost three weeks bed ridden.
“The doctors found a problem with my small intestine and ended up doing a much bigger surgery then I had planned,” Del Rosa said. “While I was in the hospital I caught pneumonia and got an infection, and stayed there for 19 days. It was a small setback for me, but that’s all water under the bridge now.”
These days the 72-year old gives orders in a much quieter demeanor while letting his assistants do the screaming. But make no mistake, Del Rosa is still passionate about his work. Last year he was honored by the National Wrestling Coaches Association with the Robert Bubb Coaching Excellence Award for Division III.
The award is given to the coach who best develops student-athletes as a role model and a mentor to them. Seeing as how Del Rosa has coached 14 NCAA All-Americans and 17 Scholar All-Americans in his time at Case Western Reserve, his selection must have been an easy choice.
And talking to Del Rosa, it appears he has no intentions of slowing down.
“I’m not going to put a time on it and say I plan on staying here for 50 years, or 58 years, I’m just going to take it one year at a time,” Del Rosa said. “But as long as I’m happy doing what I’m doing, and as long as the administration is happy with how I’m doing, then I’ll be here.”
Del Rosa missed over two months this season with his illness, but returned in late December in time to coach the team in Florida at the Citrus Duals – a trip he says he wasn’t going to miss regardless. He has since traveled with the team to Lycoming, PA and Wheaton, IL, but this Saturday will be his first time coaching at home this season.
Senior Drew Gardella (Sagamore Hills, OH), who is currently sixth all-time in school history with 113 wins, will be looking to become a UAA Champion for the first time in his career. According to Del Rosa, the 149-pound standout is a prime example of why coaching can be so rewarding.
“Drew is a real gem to have around,” Del Rosa said. “He’s one of the hardest workers I have ever coached. He puts in the time on the mat, and he has a 3.8 grade-point-average in biomedical engineering.”
“It’s hard to match up my past wrestlers and see who’s the best I have ever coached, but Drew has worked hard and has been a real special type of person.”
Another exceptional athlete Del Rosa was excited to come back to coaching was 157-pound newcomer Isaac Dukes (Ravenna, OH), who in his rookie season is on pace to surpass 30 wins while pushing towards All-American status.
“Isaac will be our next 100-plus winner, no doubt about it,” Del Rosa said.
Each year a new group of wrestlers come on the team, and each year that gives Del Rosa another reason to keep coaching. He wants to guide each wrestler through their entire four-year career, while extending the legacy of his own.
“I have had opportunities to leave Case, but I work with such good people, and this has been a great place to raise a family,” Del Rosa said.
Case Western Reserve University will be up against New York University and the University of Chicago this Saturday at home in Horsburgh Gymnasium at 11:00 a.m.
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