Barry Chooljian

Being a High School Wrestling Coach is no easy occupation. Dealing with teens in their adolescence, specially males, is challenge on its own. Being a successful wrestling coach is a whole other story. I'm not talking about winning a state championship, I'm talking about winning over Twenty! Including the span of 13 in a row! Timberlane Regional High School guidance counselor Barry Chooljian has accomplished more than almost any other wrestling coach in High School Wrestling History. His pride and dedication to the sport has played a big role in developing the program. Not only does he care about the sport, but he also cares about all of his wrestlers individually. Even though he has run the program and been successful for the past thirty years, each year is a new one and he treats each team differently each year.

Why he's my Hero- Coach Chooljian has been my wrestling coach for the past 4 years. I can honestly say they were the most enjoyable wrestling years of my career. He has a special way of making it competitive but fun at the same time. There will never be anyone close to the coaching capability at the high school level as Mr. Barry Chooljian.

Even though I didn't discover it until late this year, Wrestling is my passion. It has been there for me when no one or nothing else was, and it can always keep my mind off of things. Mr. Chooljian is a legend wrestling coach and has over 20 state titles and over 10 New England titles. Since I've decided to stick with wrestling and maybe decide to be a coach, I really look up to Choo and want to be just like him.

Barry Chooljian is a very busy man so I kept the interview short and sweet. I asked him about what got him in to coaching and what has made him so successful. He replied with "Wrestling was in my family growing up and it was what brought my brothers and I close together. I didn't know till during college that I wanted to be a wrestling coach, and getting a job at Timberlane really got me to want to develop the program." He didn't have much to say about the success part, other than "Caring for the team, and treating each wrestler a different way." The last question I had for Mr. Chooljian was what keeps him going after 30 some odd years, and his response was simple, stating that he had "another 15 in him."