Every Friday during the month of October members of the Binghamton University wrestling team take an hour out of their schedules to read to a class of fourth graders at Chenango Forks Elementary School.
This second annual event originated from an idea assistant wrestling coach Scott Green had while trying to find an interesting way for the athletes to help the community.
“[The] younger students can hopefully have a role model in the wrestlers,” he said.
Green said that he and his wife, Jennifer Green, an alumna of Binghamton University and a fourth grade teacher at Chenango Forks Elementary, believed that the hour of reading to young students would be a great way to bridge a connection between the athletes and the local community.
The team’s 27 wrestlers go to the elementary school in groups of four every Friday. The wrestlers stay from 2 to about 2:50 p.m. to read the students a story, and then answer questions the fourth graders have.
According to Green, the stories range from a book the athletes would like to read to something the teacher chooses for them.
In the fourth grade curriculum, one of the major topics is the geography of New York state. During the hour each of the four wrestlers is given a chance to show the fourth graders where his hometown is on the map, and tell the students a little bit of information about the area, Green said.
Green said he is also hopeful about creating some new Bearcats fans for the upcoming wrestling season.
According to Brandon Toro, a senior wrestler, the team is trying to get their name out to the community. Toro said their goal is to meet or surpass the 1,200 people who came to one of the meets last year.
“The students absolutely love it,” Toro, a history major, said.
Anthony Esposito, a senior wrestler, said the team, which is bringing in the top 10 wrestling teams to compete this season, was looking for a way to give back.
“We’re trying to do something positive for the community,” he said.
Esposito, a sociology major, said he is hoping for a lot of support from BU students and the community.
According to the BU wrestling team Web site, the group’s new head coach, Pat Popolizio, came to the team in the 2006-07 academic year.
The Web site also states that Popolizio joined the University after working as lead assistant coach at American University for the previous two seasons. AU’s wrestling team finished 17th in the country while Popolizio was there.
Both teammates said that the hour of reading, driven by the team’s community awareness, is a great opportunity to continue bettering the team’s reputation.
“The new coaching staff is recruiting a particular kind of student that is willing to live a clean lifestyle both on and off the mat,” Green said.