Lynbrook Titans wrestling: A training camp for life

The tradition of wrestling continues in Lynbrook as the Lynbrook Youth Athletic Association has announced the beginning of its 39th season. The first practice is Saturday, December 5 and will run through March 19. 

The wrestling program was founded in December 1977 by Bob Becker — thanks to the donations from local business people that helped purchase the first set of wrestling mats. 

Since then, the program has grown to one of Nassau County’s premier children’s wrestling programs, with an average of about 120 kids per season.

The program is now run by Bob Becker’s nephew, Hilary Becker, and more than a dozen additional outstanding coaches.Many of the coaches are former Lynbrook High School wrestlers who want to give back to the community by volunteering their time to the program. When asked why he would sacrifice every Saturday morning for the last 39 years to help coach a gym full of 7 to 12-year-olds, Becker described the motivation to be a feeling of gratification from helping others. “Believing that a career in wrestling will make the kids a better person is also a strong motivation,” he said.

“Wrestling helped me a great deal growing up, it improved my self confidence, and self esteem,” Becker added.

Viewed by many as one of the toughest and most physically demanding sports, the Titans wrestling program has seen many of its wrestlers go on to greater accomplishments in wrestling and more importantly in life.  Becker pointed out that the wrestling program has helped feed the Varsity wrestling program, but it also has helped the high school football and lacrosse programs which have had a long history of success.  “Every time I go to a varsity football or lacrosse game I count the names of my former wrestlers,” he said. “Its usually 50 percent or better.” As the program has grown, so has the commitment from the coaches. “For the past few years we’ve been doing more tournament wrestling than ever before.”According to Hilary, this means giving up their weekends — “but the coaches can’t see themselves saying no to a kid that wants to wrestle, and most parents don’t know the sport so one of the coaches must be there.”

But the greatest satisfaction, said Becker, comes when a former wrestler comes back to speak with the kids. “We love to get the Titans wrestling alumni back in the gym. When they speak about their wrestling experience and how it helped prepare them for life, not only do the kids listen, but the coaches do too.” The last registration for the program is Saturday, December 5 at the Lynbrook Kindergarten Center from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. For more information, call Hilary Becker at (516) 887-0677.