The Open Mat (TOM) - Coach of the Year

[tirapell]

Pretty good honor for an old guy who's been at this a long time. Not to mention that Morgan and Bryce made the team representing California.


2011 Clinch Gear All-American Team
http://news.theopenmat.com/2011/05/2...american-team/


2011 Clinch Gear Coach of The Year
Coach-Steve Tirapelle, Clovis, CA

TheOpenMat chose long-time Clovis front-man, Steve Tirapelle as our National High School Coach of the year, from a long list of very worthy candidates. In his 15 years at Clovis, Coach Tirapelle has guided Clovis to 9 League Championships, 8 Sectional Championships, and 3 State Team Titles while crowning 14 individual State Champions and 61 State Medalists.

Coach Tirapelle showed his coaching prowess this year by elevating his Cougars over defending State Champions, Bakersfield, who returned almost their entire line-up. Despite entering the season as decided underdogs, the Cougars defeated Bakersfield on four consecutive weekends to win multiple titles, including the pinnacle of accomplishments, the CIF State Title.


Coach Tirapelle’s Season Highlights:

• Undefeated Dual Meet Record
• 1st at the Zinkin Classic
• 4th at The Cheesehead
• 1st at Doc Buchanan
• 1st at Temecula Valley
• T.R.A.C League Tournament Champions
• Yosemite Division Valley Champions
• Central Section Masters Champions
• CIF State Champions, including two State Champions, and a total of nine state medalists.
• A #7 National Team Ranking by TOM in the final poll.

[Next Level]

Steve
Success can be elusive; we are all a little envious of those that make it look easy.
Congratulations

[Chavez-crew]

Congradulation Steve, I agree, you make it look easy!

[breakneck pace]

Nice job, Clovis! It was a great team, and I know the state is interested in seeing what you guys can do next year...

Steve, now if you could just get Adam to stay out of your way...

[B MILLER]

Congradulations Steve. What a ride from having a team with a couple of kids who could wrestle a bit to National Coach of the Year. In your wildest dreams could you have imagined this when you were hauling a dozen of us to get pizza in your little Subaru almost 30 years ago? Hell, I wish I would have listened to you a lot more back then. I don't know how you were able to put up with our crap back then, especially mine. Trust me guys, me and a few idiot friends of mine drove him nuts for sure, but he never gave up on us. From a person who was there at the very beginning, thanks so much for the lessons you have taught me and hundreds of others.
Byron Miller Class of 1986

[weezerfenix]

Congradulations Steve, You are a wonderful teacher, a great motivator and never give up on your wrestlers or people you pushed to wrestle that pushed back. I thank you for all you have taught me and how well you treated my team when they were moved back to CHS.

[Aztec]

My first wrestling practices as a kid was at Hiram Johnson (1983? 1984?) with Coach Steve Tirapelle. I had my grey Warrior Wrestling hooded sweatshirt that I wore for years until it was threadbare. Thanks for being a part of getting me hooked on wrestling and congrats on the recognition from The Open Mat.

[All Marine]

Congrats to Coach Tirapelle and the rest of the Clovis staff and their wrestlers.

An impressive honor given the programs and coaches that are considered for such.

[socaliforniabudd]

Congratulations Steve Tirapelle (Ponderosa hs CIF champion 1969, i think)

Pretty good honor for an old guy who's been at this a long time. Not to mention that Morgan and Bryce made the team representing California.


2011 Clinch Gear All-American Team
http://news.theopenmat.com/2011/05/2...american-team/


2011 Clinch Gear Coach of The Year
Coach-Steve Tirapelle, Clovis, CA

TheOpenMat chose long-time Clovis front-man, Steve Tirapelle as our National High School Coach of the year, from a long list of very worthy candidates. In his 15 years at Clovis, Coach Tirapelle has guided Clovis to 9 League Championships, 8 Sectional Championships, and 3 State Team Titles while crowning 14 individual State Champions and 61 State Medalists.

Coach Tirapelle showed his coaching prowess this year by elevating his Cougars over defending State Champions, Bakersfield, who returned almost their entire line-up. Despite entering the season as decided underdogs, the Cougars defeated Bakersfield on four consecutive weekends to win multiple titles, including the pinnacle of accomplishments, the CIF State Title.


Coach Tirapelle’s Season Highlights:

• Undefeated Dual Meet Record
• 1st at the Zinkin Classic
• 4th at The Cheesehead
• 1st at Doc Buchanan
• 1st at Temecula Valley
• T.R.A.C League Tournament Champions
• Yosemite Division Valley Champions
• Central Section Masters Champions
• CIF State Champions, including two State Champions, and a total of nine state medalists.
• A #7 National Team Ranking by TOM in the final poll.

[WarriorD7]

Our family has been there with Steve Tirapelle since the beginning in Clovis. We've gone some highs and lows (mostly highs) together and are indebted to to him for his devotion to making kids great wrestlers and citizens. We feel blessed our oldest son Scott was a teammate of Alex and Troy Tirapelle. Alex's leadership example was crucial to Scott's eventual admission to West Point where he became a NCAA-ranked wrestler for the Army Black Knights. Steve preached the concept of being student first and athlete second. He and Jayne's four children all earned scholarships to college, based on academic AND athletic success. As a father, I am grateful for my two sons to have been taught by a man of Steve's character. My sons were of opposite abilities; one was exceptional, the other was developing, finally cracking the varsity lineup as a senior. Yet, both were treated with equal importance, appreciated for their hard work and value to the team. My youngest son Brett suffered a season-ending injury as a senior, just as he was getting recognized in the Central Section rankings. Steve and Adam kept him involved with the team, bringing him along to the various tournaments as a videographer, filming the team's rise to another state championship. Here was my son, hobbled with crutches, having the time of his life handling expensive video equipment while feeling valued and appreciated as a team member. I still can't help but laugh thinking about the tournament in which Brett dressed as Adam and another senior Michael King dressed as Steve in order to impersonate the coaches Tirapelle, mimicking their expressions and mannerisms. As you may know, Steve is all-business, but he enjoys a good laugh as we all do. To me, it solidified everything I learned about the man. It's always about the kids. My only regret is that I don't have another son to send him.
Congratulations, Steve, on a well-deserved honor.