The fresno area is full of wrestling nuts. More dense per capita than Jersey. I really havent seen it that crazy in any place. I love the passion they have for wrestling even if it has taken a steady turn into fanaticism. The rivalry between Selma and Clovis is at another level. These teams really hate each other. And yes, "hate" is a strong word. I hear, maybe to the delight of some Selma fans, that the Tirapelle's got suspended from coaching their arch rivals and the defending State Champions, Clovis HS. Selma fans shouldnt be happy but probably are about the developments. I cant really blame them for being happy, they are in a competitive mindset and anything that gives them an advantage is a good thing. However, the fact is that a NCAA Champion turned California State team champion coach Adam Tirapelle, is out of coaching in their area for at least a year (who knows if he ever comes back). In this whole ordeal there has been vague statements by the administrators with nothing that completely adds up. Rumors have been spread that this has its roots in recruiting violations.
What the haters never understand is that success breeds success. Parents are always going to want their kids to be taught by the best. They will move into the area and make sure their kids have the best teachers, and there isnt anything wrong with it. Raise your hand if you want your kids to be taught by teachers with a proven record of success on multiple levels. Maybe this was a campaign against Steve Tirapelli and Adam was thrown in for good measure. Either way Im pretty sure the kids education was not taken into effect when making the decision. Instead it probably was the right mixture of politics, personal vendettas and, of course, success that did Adam Tirapelle in. I have learned as much from wrestling about life than I did in the classroom, and i believe that Clovis just lost one of the best teachers they had. If I were Adam I probably wouldnt be back at Clovis next year, I would go and coach somewhere else. Start from the ground up and start winning championships. Parents, seeing how good the team was, will started moving into the area to have their kids be educated by one of the best. At that time I would be ready for the haters to start accusing me of cheating all over again. Of Course that is only if I were Adam Tirapelle with his coaching abilities.
So unfortunately Adam Tirapelle and his father are suspended for a year, however fans from schools like Selma should be secretly calling Adam Tirapelle asking him to stay in the valley to continue coaching their arch rivals. If Selma wants to be a national player in wrestling they are going to have to have top notch competition locally. Steel sharpens steel. You have to take a step back to see the forrest from the rivalry that engulfs the mindset in the fresno valley. If Adam decides not to coach Clovis anymore expect Selma to have more "success". But "success" is one hell of a relative term. The fact is a revamped and reorganized Selma will go down as never being able to have beaten a Clovis with Adam Tirapelle on the staff. That is why if I were a fan at Selma, which I am, I would be just waiting for the day for Adam Tirepelle to be coaching Clovis again, marking a rare event that Selma wrestling fans have the same interest as Clovis wrestlers and parents.
