By Dan Israeli
Gillespie leaves high school as Nassau County's all-time leader in matches won, with 214, along with an unparalleled four county titles in four different weight classes. He will enroll at Hofstra this month.
He can now add All-American to his resume, earning that distinction from Wrestling USA Magazine. It's his first selection since his high school career began, and puts him in the company of the country's best varsity wrestlers. For his father, Paul Gillespie, who coached wrestling at Long Beach High for almost 20 years, and P.J.'s coach throughout high school, Ryan Adams, the latest commendation is a fitting end to his scholastic career.
"It's a very prestigious honor," said Adams, who has coached two state champions in as many years. In 2006, Eduardo Delgado, Gillespie's senior co-captain, won the 140-pound state championship as a junior. "Wrestling USA awards the top kids in the country, and both [Gillespie and Delgado] have proven over the course of four years now to be that," Adams added.
Delgado follows Gillespie in career victories with 190, and they have established themselves as two of the best wrestlers in Nassau's history. Paul Gillespie considers his son's teammate an equal to P.J. when it comes to All-American status. "I was sorry Eduardo didn't make it -- he worked very hard," said Gillespie. "There is no doubt in my mind that both of them couldn't accomplish what they have without each other."
Paul Gillespie credited his son's success to starting at a young age, and acknowledged the attributes that have grown out of it. "He has a great determination and a great work ethic," Gillespie said. "But he is also very humble. After winning the state championship, he just shook his opponent's hand and that was it. These kids were taught to put their egos in their back pockets."
Gillespie was one of four New Yorkers to make the All-American team, and the only Long Islander. Starting his training in seventh grade, P.J. had the opportunity to learn under one of Long Island's top coaches - his father, along with Adams. "He was always ahead of the game," Adams said. "This award is just the icing on the cake, the cherry on top - whatever you want to call it. He did everything right during the course of his career and is totally deserving of it."
The next step in Gillespie's career will be Hofstra, which has emerged as a national wrestling power. He will be following in the footsteps of another standout, Jonathan Masa, a 2000 Long Beach High graduate. Masa was a three-time All-American at Hofstra who won four straight Colonial Athletic Association championships.
Gillespie said his son will once again be under the tutelage of a great wrestling coach, in Hofstra's Tom Shifflet.
"He is a great coach," Gillespie said of Shifflet. "School and wrestling go hand in hand at Hofstra."
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