"Catching Up….with David Hughes"

By Donald J. Brower

For most former multi-time state wrestling champions, their career paths are generally defined; attempt to make the Olympic team, make a transition to Mixed Martial Arts or become a wrestling coach.

David Hughes is not the average wrestler.

The 35-year old graduate of Jefferson Township has stepped away from the sport he practically dominated from 1991-1995. Hughes finished his career at 136-6 and ranked No. 1 in county wins, a record since broken by four-time state champion Mike Grey of Delbarton in 2006. He was also the school leader in wins before having that record eclipsed by Tyler Milonas in 2007.

Stepping away from a sport he participated in since he was a child was not the original plan. Hughes went to Michigan State with dreams of competing in the Olympics.

"I chose Michigan State for that reason," Hughes said. "Tom Minkel was the head coach for the U.S. Team at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain and I wanted to learn from him. I am not sure if I had the talent to do it but I was going to try."

Minkel created U.S. wrestling history, leading the USA to a bronze medal, the highest finish ever by a U.S. team in Greco-Roman competition. The legendary coach had an impact on Hughes before he even stepped onto the mat for Jefferson. Hughes attended an Olympic Developmental camp in Lake Placid, NY before his freshman year, where Minkle was teaching. Hughes learned a gut-wrench defense that he used repeatedly in his high school career.

The original idea was for Hughes to red shirt but circumstances changed and resulted in him lacing up the boots his freshman year. His first match was a tough one in facing legendary Penn State wrestler, three-time All-American and 1995 NCAA Champion John Hughes in his first college match.

"That was a tough match," Hughes recalled. "I tried my best but he was just too good."

As his college career progressed, his love of the sport started to wane. He enjoyed wrestling but the fire needed to compete at that level was gone. After some soul searching, Hughes made a tough decision and gave up wrestling to focus on his future. Part of that future was his renewed faith in God. 

"In high school, I thought that I kind of knew God," Hughes said. "My parents had raised me to respect my faith but it wasn't until I was in college that I became closer to God. It was tough to go across the country and at the same time join one of the best teams in the country. I started to attend a campus church group and that's where I connected with God."

That group also had an added benefit for Hughes as it introduced him to the woman who would become his wife, Kathryn . While he was interested in getting to know her, the opportunity to talk was not there.

"We had both been in different social circles," Hughes said laughing. "We had mutual friends but never had the chance to talk to each other. One night I actually called to talk to her roommate. She wasn't there but I wound up talking to her for several hours. The rest is history."

The pair was married shortly after graduating college in 1999 and relocated to the Atlanta area after falling in love with it during a spring break visit to his sister.

Hughes, who graduated with a degree in Telecommunications, quickly found a job and went into the management side for the last six years; handling sales and account engineers before being laid off a month ago. He recently went back into the sales side of things and is enjoying it. When not at work, Hughes can be found spending time at church or with his family including his three girls, Hannah (9), Lauren (7) and Lyla (4) who are involved in various sports.

While Hughes has not been involved in the sport for years, he remembers those years at Jefferson and the atmosphere fondly.

"I love my teammates for what they gave me." Hughes said. "I talked to Jeremy Bailer (1993 State Champion at 140), a few months ago. My best friend from high school, Kevin Walty, lives in Kentucky and I talk to him all the time. The others, unfortunately, I have lost contact with."

While he has lost communication with those teammate, the lessons they taught him resonate: –

Those teams had lots of leaders. Jeremy and Josh Bailer, Ken and Keith Rossi, Jimmy and Justin McClain, just to name a few. We were all just friends and the first team that I know of to not have multi-sport athletes. We were wrestlers and did that year round. Carmen Rossi used to pick people up in his station wagon to head to practice. Mr. Forst, Mr. Piotrowsky, they all helped us even when their sons had graduated. Sam Rossi taught me techniques as a middle school wrestler that I used well into my college career. They were there for us no matter what.

Clearly it was a family atmosphere with in the town, dedicated to the goal of winning on the mat.

The collective dedication helped the team to three-straight NJSIAA Group II State titles from 1992 to 1994, winning the third title with a 45-14 win against Buena Regional High School. The team also won the North Jersey II, Group II State Sectional Championships for six consecutive years, from 1991 to 1996.

Hughes' own family played the biggest role in his mat success as his parents, Phil and Edith, were always willing to take him to various camps or dirty gyms to get in extra training.

While he had been successful on the mat his first two years, it was a "motivational" talk from Ken Rossi in Atlantic City that made him take the steps to becoming a champion.

"I had just lost in the state semifinals at 145 (to eventual state champion Kevin Farnham of Haddon Township) and was mat side crying," Hughes said. "Ken Rossi is getting ready for the 112 finals, stops and walks up to me. In a few choice words he basically says "You lost, yeah it sucks, now pick it up and take third."  That lit a fire in my mind and I wasn't going to disappoint a team leader."

Hughes did rebound to take third at 145 and kept that internal fire stoked for the rest of his high school career. He went 36-0 in both his junior and senior season on his way to capturing the 145 and 151 state championships, respectively.

Success could lead a person to rest on their laurels but Hughes credits coach Mike Rossetti with keeping them focused.

"We had a great bunch of coaches but Rossetti was the best," Hughes said. "He was the greatest motivator I have ever seen. He would take guys who were not the most physically gifted and motivate them to 25 wins in a season during a time that was a big deal."

The overall success of his time at Jefferson led to him being inducted into the Morris County Hall of Fame in 2011. It was a goal he set when he was just a kid;

I went to the Morris County Tournament in 1988 when Mr. (Sam) Rossi was inducted. We all respected that guy like you wouldn't believe. I set a goal one day to be inducted into that Hall of Fame. I had no idea what it meant or what I had to do, but I knew I was going to try my hardest to make it there.

That moment shaped his wrestling career before it ever started.

While he may not be active in the sport as much as other former champions, Hughes credits wrestling with both shaping his life and building internal character.

"Wrestling prepares you for life in general," Hughes said. "When things go bad and your down or hurt, it gives you a good foundation to fight for it go for it. Any kid benefits from lacing them up and letting it go."

One kid who may benefit from the sport in the near future is a son of Hughes' fellow church member, who has been getting active in wrestling in Georgia. Hughes has promised to show him a few things on the mat and has not ruled out a return to mat side in the future.

"Never say never is what I say." Hughes said with a smirk.