2008 Woodie Awards
Determination leads to mat success for Pienaar
By Randy Klins
Issue date: 2/4/05 Section: Sports
During his high school career at Penn-Trafford High School, Charlie Pienaar won a sectional championship, was a runner-up in the WPIAL conference, was a member of the All-American freestyle duals wrestling club and wrestled on the Pennsylvania National freestyle team.
Resume look pretty stacked? He's only just begun.
He added another accomplishment to his career this past week when he became the first SRU wrestler not named Cieleski to win a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship since 1998, when current head coach Derek DelPorto did it. Brad Cieleski won championships the last two years after his older brother Doug won in 2001.
Most people that carry this many accolades should consider themselves great at what they do, but that is not the case for Pienaar. The sophomore health and physical education major is humble beyond his years and his hard-working attitude and determination off the mat translate into his success.
"I've never really considered myself a great wrestler," Pienaar said. "I just go hard for a few minutes and I know what it takes to win a match."
DelPorto said Pienaar's work ethic separates him from the PSAC competition.
"I've coached some really good kids," DelPorto said. "As far as work ethic, he is in the top percentage."
DelPorto said his determination through the year helped him to get where he is today.
"He trains year-round to get where he is," DelPorto said. "He works wrestling camps during the summer, he lifts hard. It's 365 days for him. He's very dedicated."
Pienaar said he attributes his success to his coach's program during the season.
"Most of my success goes to (DelPorto)," Pienaar said. "He was always there to push me and he made me see what I could do. We got a new coach this year, and it's been a total 180 degree turn from last year with how he approached things."
Pienaar won the PSAC championship in East Stroudsburg this past weekend in the 184-pound weight class after he won a decision over Edinboro's Jim Gibson 2-0 on Saturday. Pienaar (22-7) beat Jesse Hasseman of Bloomsburg 4-1 and then won in the semifinal round against East Stroudsburg's Sean McCracken, 3-1, on Friday to advance to the final.
Resume look pretty stacked? He's only just begun.
He added another accomplishment to his career this past week when he became the first SRU wrestler not named Cieleski to win a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship since 1998, when current head coach Derek DelPorto did it. Brad Cieleski won championships the last two years after his older brother Doug won in 2001.
Most people that carry this many accolades should consider themselves great at what they do, but that is not the case for Pienaar. The sophomore health and physical education major is humble beyond his years and his hard-working attitude and determination off the mat translate into his success.
"I've never really considered myself a great wrestler," Pienaar said. "I just go hard for a few minutes and I know what it takes to win a match."
DelPorto said Pienaar's work ethic separates him from the PSAC competition.
"I've coached some really good kids," DelPorto said. "As far as work ethic, he is in the top percentage."
DelPorto said his determination through the year helped him to get where he is today.
"He trains year-round to get where he is," DelPorto said. "He works wrestling camps during the summer, he lifts hard. It's 365 days for him. He's very dedicated."
Pienaar said he attributes his success to his coach's program during the season.
"Most of my success goes to (DelPorto)," Pienaar said. "He was always there to push me and he made me see what I could do. We got a new coach this year, and it's been a total 180 degree turn from last year with how he approached things."
Pienaar won the PSAC championship in East Stroudsburg this past weekend in the 184-pound weight class after he won a decision over Edinboro's Jim Gibson 2-0 on Saturday. Pienaar (22-7) beat Jesse Hasseman of Bloomsburg 4-1 and then won in the semifinal round against East Stroudsburg's Sean McCracken, 3-1, on Friday to advance to the final.
