Scavenger Hunt In Memory Of Beloved Enfield Wrestling Coach To Benefit Young Man With Lou Gehrig's Disease

ENFIELD, CT ? One phrase which could perfectly describe Ben Aleks was "tough as nails." Never large in stature, he followed in the footsteps of his dad to become a champion wrestler at Cathedral High School in Springfield. After graduating from Curry College, he entered the coaching ranks at a young age, and immediately instilled a winning tradition in his grapplers that extended far beyond the mat.

After guiding his alma mater to three Western Massachusetts championships in the 1970s, he took over the wrestling program at Enrico Fermi High School in Enfield in 1983. Within four years, his teams had posted a State Open runner-up finish and a Class LL second-place showing, and the Falcons had produced a two-time State Open champion and All-American, as well as three other class champions.

Aleks retired from the head coaching position in 1994, but demonstrated his selflessness and passion for the sport by continuing to work with the young Falcons as a volunteer assistant coach. He maintained that role through the school's consolidation with Enfield High School in 2016, and also was a major force behind establishment of a wrestling practice facility in the former Fermi building; that space is now known as the Ben Aleks Wrestling Center.

In the early 2020s, Aleks was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The terminal illness is a motor neuron disorder which affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to loss of muscle control. Eventually, ALS affects control of the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe.

There is no cure for this fatal disease, but in true warrior fashion, Aleks put up a tremendous fight before succumbing on Jan. 10, 2024.

To honor his memory, some close friends have organized a scavenger hunt, in which teams of four seek items related to Aleks' career and life, plus some general sports and a bit of town history.

The fun-filled day is slated for Sunday, June 29, beginning at 11 a.m. at Jimmy's Pub, 524 Enfield Street. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three teams, and several door prizes will be given away.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to the family of a young man whom Aleks never had the pleasure of meeting. Jeff Guerriero was a longtime mainstay in Enfield-based Blitzkrieg! Pro Wrestling, under the ring name Jeff Cannonball, but he is much more than an accomplished athlete. He is an emergency dispatcher, a first responder, a husband, a father to 18-month-old son Milo, a brother, an uncle and a cherished friend to many.

In late May, the 38-year-old was diagnosed with ALS, and his wife Sam has reported "it has progressed very rapidly." Friends and colleagues are rallying to support the Guerriero family during the time he has remaining, with a GoFundMe account set up which received a tremendous boost with a generous donation from Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. The GoFundMe may be accessed here.

On June 28, at Blitzkrieg! Pro's annual luau, its biggest event of the year, a special raffle will be conducted, with proceeds to benefit the Guerrieros. Among the items up for grabs will be the original Blitzkrieg! Bedlam championship belt. Ticket information may be found here.

"Jeff is one of the best people I?ve met through wrestling, probably my favorite opponent, and when the time comes for me to stop, I had always envisioned my last match being with him," Blitzkrieg! Pro promoter Jeremy Leary wrote on social media.

Entry fee for the scavenger hunt is $40 for a team of four. Venmo payments are accepted at @Tim-Jensen-67. More information may be obtained by calling 860-394-5091.