BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ - The last time Governor Livingston had won a Sectional Championship for wrestling the parents of Governor Livingston wrestlers weren’t even in high school. Forty-two years later, Governor Livingston is now Sectional Champions, and even made it to the NJSIAA Group 2 State Championship. Beyond the extreme talent of its wrestlers, there is one thing that sets Governor Livingston apart from other schools: the coaching staff.

Head Coach Rick Ortega and Assistant Coach Dan Hilt were named District 15 Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year. Both have been elevating the program for years, with this being Ortega’s second Coach of the Year within the past three years, and fourth of his career. 

Ortega’s preparation for matches has given Governor Livingston an advantage against anyone one they have a match against. Ortega said, “I watch a lot of film and write myself notes. After that coin flip in the beginning to see who gets sent out first, I have a plan. If one thing happens then I'll do this, and if something else happens I'll have other options. It also helps that I’ve had the best coaching staff to help me.”

Hilt offers much more to the program than just being an assistant coach. He brings in preparation and fluidity to help boost the team's performance. Hilt said, “[From] getting the whole team on the same page technique wise and preparing them for common wrestling positions, we made sure that we were always going to be the wrestlers in the best shape and with an offensive mindset. Finally, we made sure they all believed in our preparation, themselves and each other.”

The wrestling program isn’t just a one and done Cinderella story. The success has been prolonged, and the team is only growing. With the help of a strong youth program, Ortega said, “I think pre-Covid we were 120 something kids, and post-Covid we were in the 90s for the youth program, which is huge, and they continue to wrestle, and bring more kids in.”

Even though wrestling is an intense and mentally challenging sport, Governor Livingston students continue to sign up and wrestle for Ortega because of his belief in enjoying the sport and learning from it. “[Wrestling] gives kids so many things. It teaches you how to lose, which is huge in life, and you ain't gonna win all the time, right? So it teaches you how to deal with adversity as a person, as a human being, and that's stuff as you get through life that you're going to need to do.” He added, “Even though I don't think anybody works harder than us, you see us coming out of that room drenched. But you know, we make it fun. As crazy as that sounds.” 

All of this results in a team that meshes as a unit, and enjoys what they are involved in. Senior James Rubino said, “I used to go to practice and just wish it was over because of how hard it was. But as time went on and I got closer to Coach. He made me realize that isn’t the way to go at things. He helped me realize to love the sport and try to better myself  everyday.”

Ortega gives his wrestlers room to be comfortable on the mat, and lets wrestlers be confident in themselves. Senior and Co-Captain Dante Gioia said, “Missing my freshman year from injury I knew I would have some catching up to do.  Coach Ortega helped me get ready to compete again and feel comfortable on the mat when I returned.  Furthermore, he is always pushing us in practice, whether it is through extra conditioning or having us do what we call a slick drill.  He deserves a lot of the credit for the success the team has had and I am thankful for the time I have spent wrestling.”

For some of the younger wrestlers, the adjustment to wrestling can be tough, but Ortega has developed wrestlers for years. Sophomore Nate Faxon said, “He has helped me grow as a wrestler, and has always believed in us. I would not have the opportunities I've had without his coaching.”

At the high school level, what separates a great team from a good team is coaching. Young athletes are impressionable and need guidance, and when it comes to Ortega and Hilt, they offer everything you need in a coach, and the program is only getting better.