Readers Fire Back, Defend Brick Wrestling Coach, Wrestlers' Decisions In Special Needs Match

BRICK, NJ — Where is the line between inclusion and exploitation?

That was the essence of the arguments that erupted on social media in the wake of the report about Brick Memorial wrestler David Richards and the exhibition bout that was planned during the Mustangs' dual meet at Brick last Wednesday.

Richards' father, Dan, posted about the situation on Facebook, criticizing the Brick Township coaching staff and wrestlers in the wake of the situation. A video photographer was on hand for the dual meet as part of a feature story the Asbury Park Press was working on about David, but the Memorial coaching staff was notified at the meet that the Brick wrestlers in his weight class would wrestle. In a story published in the Patch Sunday, interim Superintendent Thomas Gialanella expressed dismay over the situation.

That story prompted significant outrage from readers, many of whom defended Brick coach Matt Opacity and the wrestlers in question, saying the high school wrestlers should not have been put in what many said was a no-win situation.

One source, a member of the wrestling community, who contacted the Patch said the plan to videotape the match "was sprung on" the Brick staff the night before the meet. The conversation, the source said, included the suggestion that the Brick wrestler should lose to Richards.

Readers posting on the Brick Patch Facebook page said most of the team wasn't even aware of the situation, and several said the idea of forcing a student-athlete to go out and lose was wrong:

"So the coach should force a child (that's what they are children) to go out there in front of a full gymnasium, being filmed by a reporter and lose. For one second did u think those two children might be uncomfortable or nervous?" Tracy Wojtaszek wrote.

"How would you feel if it was your son being asked to go out and flop over for a video?" a reader who contacted the Patch directly said.

Others pointed out that not all of the team was eligible to wrestle David due to weight class restrictions.

Several defended Opacity, with parents of Brick wrestlers saying he is a respected coach, and took the Patch to task:

"These are fantastic kids who put a lot into what they do, this is defamation of character against children, and the Patch, and everyone who is so quick to destroy them should be ashamed of themselves! Jaimie Breen Jachim wrote.

"I'm also concerned about the picture that this reporter and the people commenting are painting for the coaches of this team. As I said earlier I have spent 4 years+ with them and they are the most kind hearted men you will ever have the pleasure of knowing," Lisa Faulhaber wrote.

"I will tell you why I don't like these kind of stories anymore," Mindy Fried Gollin wrote. "Kudos for David being part of the team -- I think that is awesome. Being a parent of a special needs young adult, I like my son treated with equal not better treatment. We all know these kids can do anything they set their minds to. It doesn't make sense that the other team flat out "refused." Did they really? I wholeheartedly don't believe that the entire team was that heartless and set out to exclude him and refused. Sounds to me like a breakdown in communication and there is more to the story.

"Before throwing that other team under the bus maybe you should find out exactly what happened," Gollin wrote. "Get angry for the disabled and feel good about yourself ... but don't pump your fist for my son because you think it's an anomaly that he can actually do it --you get all teary eyed..."poor baby, I feel great about myself that I supported him". Pump your fists because he had a good match that he worked his butt off just as hard as the typical kids. The other team "refused." Seriously? Not in this day and age. Just put the kid in the regular lineup and treat him the same without the press circus act to videotape how awesome he is.

"I don't want anyone using my kid to feel better about themselves and that's why seeing the kid posted in the paper with his record not because he has different talents makes me much happier then vilifying an entire team. But that wouldn't make for good press and we all know they always tell the truth," she wrote.

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