Sonny Greenhalgh GARY ABBOTT’S MATSIDE CHAT WITH...
Sonny Greenhalgh is a legend within wrestling in the United
States. A college wrestler for Syracuse, he wrestled internation- ally many years with the New York Athletic Club. In 1977, he was named wrestling chairman of the NYAC, a position he held for 31 years. In addition to coaching international wrestlers, he also coached a number of college programs on the East Coast. Greenhalgh has mentored dozens of World and Olympic medalists in all three styles. He has built the NYAC International into a top tournament, and has served on many USA Wrestling national committees. He continues to make an impact on the sport. USA Wrestler interviewed him about his personal wrestling journey.
USA Wrestler: How did you get involved with wrestling and
who were your early mentors in the sport? Greenhalgh: I got involved as a sophomore in high school. I weighed only 89 pounds. I couldn’t go out for cross country because my legs were too short. They didn’t let me go out for football. It was actually the high school quarterback who sug- gested I try out for wrestling. My first year, the weight class was 98 pounds. I got beat up good. Every time I wrestled, I got a lit- tle better. It gave me something special, something that was good for me. My life ever since has revolved around wrestling first. I took different jobs over the years, but wrestling was always a part of it.
USA Wrestler: Tell us about your high school career, and
why you decided to attend Syracuse for wrestling? Greenhalgh: As a wrestler, I wasn’t very good, but I got bet-
ter because I just wanted to wrestle. I didn’t place in my section. In my senior year in high school, all my friends were going to college. I walked into the guidance office and told them I wanted to go to college. My family had not gone to college, so they were surprised. They had me take a look at a big book in the office which listed all the universities. I looked for schools that had wrestling programs. I thought I wanted to be an engineer. Syracuse had a good engineering program, and they had wrestling. I also thought I might want to teach and coach. Springfield had a good education program and also had wrestling. So I applied to them both. I finally decided on being an engineer, so I went to Syracuse as a walk-on wrestler.
USA Wrestler: What are your memories of your college wrestling experience? Greenhalgh: Back then freshmen couldn’t wrestle, so I went
to open tournaments. The next year, I had a room and board scholarship, which was raised to a half scholarship. The last two years I got a full scholarship. It was a great experience. I found a fraternity with wrestling. I found the guys I liked best were the wrestlers. We had a heck of a team. By the time I was a senior, we went undefeated. We won the Easterns that year. We knocked off Lehigh, which had a long dual meet winning streak. We were fourth at the Nationals. We had Jim Nance and Dick Slutsky then. We were strong, but all of us had a loss here or there. In dual meets, we were so tough and that made me proud. I took that forward with me to the NYAC and to the col-
24 USA Wrestler
lege teams I coached, that focus on the team aspect of wrestling. I always pushed the team as an important part of wrestling.
USA Wrestler: How did you get involved with the New York
Athletic Club as an athlete, and why did you continue to wrestle after college? Greenhalgh: When I was out of college, I got a job with GE.
They asked me where I wanted to work. I wanted a place where I could still wrestle, and New York City had the New York Athletic Club. In college, I beat Chick Murano at the Wilkes Open. It was in folkstyle. I would never have beaten Chick in freestyle. After I beat Chick Murano, the carpet got rolled out for me. I was invited to wrestle for the NYAC. After that, I went back to Syracuse, got my masters and coached, and kept wrestling for the NYAC. I got a call from Bill Farrell to help him with his new business. I moved my family, lock, stock and barrel down- state to work for Bill and to wrestle for the club. I tried to make a living then. It was tough trying to find time to work out. Some weeks, you would train three days, other weeks you would get in five. It was difficult and you did what you could. You still had a job and a family. Now that has changed. We have the OTC, we have great clubs and the guys get to compete overseas. I like to think I did something to help give that opportunity to today’s wrestlers.
USA Wrestler: Your first coaching stint was as an assistant in Syracuse. What was it about coaching that you enjoy and fueled your passion to coach for a lifetime?
Sonny Greenhalgh was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame this past June. Larry Slater photo.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44