Wasn't sure if I should post this here or not...but after sleeping on it (or at least trying to) I feel obligated to pass along a message. The Pennsylvania wrestling world has lost another one of its beloved members way too soon.
Chad Sindoni, a great wrestler, coach and friend, was killed in a car accident yesterday afternoon. Some of you may remember Chad from his high school career at Athens Area (2004-2007) when he was one of the more dominant wrestlers in District 4. Others may remember Chad from his recruitment. He verbally committed to Penn State to wrestle for Troy Sunderland, but later signed with Edinboro. Chad's career there lasted only a year or two before he returned to our hometown to contribute to our youth and HS wrestling scene as a coach. Before his passing yesterday, Chad coached varsity at Sayre High School and had really started to turn the small school's program around the past couple seasons.
This is extremely difficult for me to write, as I've known Chad and his wonderful mom and dad for the majority of my life and his two younger sisters for the majority of theirs. We both started wrestling around the same time with our school's youth program, and I still easily recall the countless weekends we spent at tournaments every winter. As we grew older, Chad continued to find more and more success on the mat and to this day, he still is one of the most passionate wrestlers that I've ever met. Then throughout high school, a group of us followed Chad throughout his postseason ventures – all the way to his PIAA final match in Hershey our senior year. It had been his childhood goal to win a state title, but he fell just short to South Allegheny's Phil Sorrentino at 152 pounds that day. I still clearly remember the controversial fleeing the mat call that ended up being the difference in that match.
I'll never forget the heartbreak from Chad that day, and then the weeks after, but I don't think it can match the heartbreak my hometown feels right now. Chad may have finished as a runner-up in '07, but he is forever a champ here. Rest in peace, bud...
Chad Sindoni, a great wrestler, coach and friend, was killed in a car accident yesterday afternoon. Some of you may remember Chad from his high school career at Athens Area (2004-2007) when he was one of the more dominant wrestlers in District 4. Others may remember Chad from his recruitment. He verbally committed to Penn State to wrestle for Troy Sunderland, but later signed with Edinboro. Chad's career there lasted only a year or two before he returned to our hometown to contribute to our youth and HS wrestling scene as a coach. Before his passing yesterday, Chad coached varsity at Sayre High School and had really started to turn the small school's program around the past couple seasons.
This is extremely difficult for me to write, as I've known Chad and his wonderful mom and dad for the majority of my life and his two younger sisters for the majority of theirs. We both started wrestling around the same time with our school's youth program, and I still easily recall the countless weekends we spent at tournaments every winter. As we grew older, Chad continued to find more and more success on the mat and to this day, he still is one of the most passionate wrestlers that I've ever met. Then throughout high school, a group of us followed Chad throughout his postseason ventures – all the way to his PIAA final match in Hershey our senior year. It had been his childhood goal to win a state title, but he fell just short to South Allegheny's Phil Sorrentino at 152 pounds that day. I still clearly remember the controversial fleeing the mat call that ended up being the difference in that match.
I'll never forget the heartbreak from Chad that day, and then the weeks after, but I don't think it can match the heartbreak my hometown feels right now. Chad may have finished as a runner-up in '07, but he is forever a champ here. Rest in peace, bud...
