Wrestling Center Dedication Ceremony Slated In Enfield

ENFIELD, CT — More than a quarter century after officially retiring as head wrestling coach at Enrico Fermi High School, Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame honoree Ben Aleks finally saw his longtime dream realized in May with the opening of a practice center in the former Fermi building, providing a home for the Enfield High School wrestling program and the Enfield Eagles youth program. On Monday, the final piece of the puzzle will be put in place, as the facility will be officially dedicated as the Ben Aleks Wrestling Center.

In June, the Enfield Town Council unanimously approved a resolution to name the renovated former band room at the building in honor of Aleks, who was a highly successful coach at Fermi from 1983 to 1994, and has volunteered a considerable amount of time and resources to aid the wrestling programs at Fermi and now Enfield high schools for the past 25 years.

He is a 2016 inductee into the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame, and in April 2020, he will be honored with a John Wentworth Good Sport Award by the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance at the 79th Gold Key Dinner at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.

The dedication ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m., with speakers to include current head coach Jason Flynn and former coaches Andrew Duperre and Jeff Beiler. Following some comments from the guest of honor will be the unveiling of the beautiful new sign, produced by Mike Reedy of Signarama.

Former athletes, fellow coaches, colleagues and members of the public are invited to attend the ceremony, and to thank Aleks for his years of service to the student-athletes of Enfield.