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Stanjeski Reaches Goal In Last Season

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By EDDIE DANIELS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 28, 2008

TRINITY - It had to happen this way.

John Stanjeski helped get the Mitchell wrestling program on its feet as an assistant for five seasons. In Season 6, Stanjeski became the head coach.

Three years into Stanjeski's tenure as coach, the Mustangs won the program's first Sunshine Athletic Conference title.

"In reaching the goal, for myself, it was an outstanding feeling of accomplishment," Stanjeski said. "My joy was shared with the kids to have more pride in the wrestling program. It always seemed other schools had better wrestling traditions.

"Now the kids feel they can do just as good as everybody else. They achieved this and now they can go on from there, feel great to accomplish that for the school, for the program."

He was selected as the SAC's Wrestling Coach of the Year and now Stanjeski can add another accolade to his resume: The Tampa Tribune's Pasco County Male Team Coach of the Year.

The ability to give Stanjeski and the program a title was a source of pride for Mitchell's wrestlers.

"Mitchell's never done that. It's something else. I still don't even know if it's hit me," said junior Shea Taylor, who won the 145-pound weight class at the SAC. "Then you find out it's my coach's last year, I'm so happy that we could give him that before he left. That's better than anything. I'm glad we could give that to him."

Taylor and his teammates weren't alone in their adulation. River Ridge coach Russ Schenk, who coached Stanjeski's son in the mid-90s, beamed as well.

"It was disappointing not to wrestle our best, but Mitchell's a great team," Schenk said. "They showed that by putting seven guys in the finals and I'm excited for Coach Stanjeski to finally win conference, especially in his last year. It's nice."

Wrestling has been a labor of love for Stanjeski. He participated in the sport, while at Sayreville (N.J.) High School. Even after being drafted by the Navy in 1970, he grappled against shipmates, while aboard his ship in Guam. Prior to serving as an assistant at Mitchell, he filled those same capacities at Hudson, River Ridge, Gulf and Ridgewood.

Even in retirement, Stanjeski will assist the Mustangs from time to time.

"Some people just think you're there during the wrestling season," Stanjeski said. "To some kids, you're a father, friend, a mentor. Some parents have a lot going on or one parent is not there, you have to spend time with the kids."

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