2008 Woodie Awards
Team honored at homecoming parade
By Mat Bell
Issue date: 12/2/05 Section: Sports Extra
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The float was constructed around the theme of homecoming, "Fantastic Voyage, Rock Around the World."
The team built a replica of Old Main and mounted it as if it were on a voyage. The float had palm trees, sand and a boat docked on sand. On the side of the boat were various destinations that had been checked off, representing the float had already reached those spots. Behind the boat were three smaller boats occupied by wrestlers acting as though they were rowing. Finally, behind those boats was a Millersville University boat that appeared to be sinking.
Millersville was the Rock's opponent for that day's football game. SRU won, 21-15.
"I think the most recognized part of our float was the huge sail on the boat that had a painted picture of a Rock wrestler's hand being raised by a referee as if he won," said coach Derek DelPorto.
The whole team worked on the project. Cory Mancuso was in charge of float construction, while Garry Price, captain and art major, did a lot of the art work. Jason Cardillo and Joe Attieb were in charge of the construction of the boats.
"I remember we were so nervous because we knew that we worked the hardest on our float and wanted to win so badly," Mancuso said.
The team had to balance practice, schoolwork, study tables and for some people, having a job, while building the float.
"It was so much work that I told coach DelPorto if we won I was retiring from the float construction business," Mancuso said.
The wrestling team also does numerous extracurricular activities aside from building homecoming floats, but the team has multiple fund-raisers that help it raise money for a new weight room and equipment.
"There is a small weight room that is attached to our wrestling room that hasn't been updated in 20-plus years," DelPorto said. "We just bought new equipment with the money raised from homecoming and expect the weight room to be complete by Christmas."
The three main fund-raisers Rock Wrestling uses to raise money are raffle ticket and t-shirt sales plus the Slippery Rock Open, which is the team's first tournament of the year and was held Nov. 5. The team also is hosting the Pennsylvania Amateur Wrestling Federation tournament, which is a Greco-Roman style tournament held in the spring. The date is yet to be determined.
Hosting tournaments raises the most money for Rock Wrestling.
"Depending upon the number of participants and how well the concession stand does, an average tournament generates around $4,500 after expenses," Delporto said.
Aside from fund raisers, Rock Wrestling receives alumni donations. DelPorto said the Rock Alumni do a great job of supporting the program. "Most of the alumni do what they can and give us a generous amount," DelPorto said. "We are very grateful."
