Wrestling Coach Warren Reid To Be Honored At Toms River East

TOMS RIVER, NJ — When Toms River High School East opened in 1979, Warren Reid was among the first staff members who walked through its doors to teach.

Forty years later, Reid is still there, teaching and coaching wrestling. He's had hundreds of kids put on the black singlet with the blue and silver trim over the years for the Raiders, and over that time not only been their coach, but helped them in every imaginable.

"He taught me to never give up, no matter what the obstacle," said Kelly Conklin Sr., who led a petition to have Reid honored at Toms River East for his dedication to the district and for his dedication to his students.

The Toms River Regional Board of Education approved the request to name the wrestling room at Toms River East for Reid, to permanently honor the man who has inspired so many.

He's been known to run with a wrestler in the rain to help the wrestler make weight. Which doesn't sound extraordinary until you hear it was a Sunday and Reid was headed to a wedding.

"The wrestler was a bit over where he needed to be," Conklin said, "so Coach ran with him." Dressed in a tuxedo. The two ran 2 miles in the rain, and when they got back to the school, the wrestler was able to make weight. "Coach hopped in his truck and still went to the wedding, soaking wet and muddy."

Conklin, who graduated in 1985, had just taken up wrestling in middle school. When he arrived in Reid's wrestling room, he had a pair of very cheap wrestling shoes. Reid announced at a practice that he had found black and silver wrestling shoes and asked who wanted a pair.

"I grew up poor," Conklin said to the school board at the committee meeting the week prior to the board vote. "My parents didn't have the money. But when everyone raised their hands, I did too."

When the shoes arrived, Reid called up the boys individually to collect their money. When Conklin told the coach he couldn't pay for them. Reid gave him the new wrestling shoes and took Conklin's old pair in trade. "On me," Reid said, as he tossed Conklin's old pair into a plastic milk crate nearby.

Years later, when Conklin's youngest son took the mat in Reid's gym, the coach pulled out that old pair of shoes. "He dusted them off and had my son put them on and practice in them," he said.

Reid, who was a four-time All-American when he wrestled for the University of Oklahoma, and who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, also taught Conklin to push through no matter what the circumstances. One summer, Conklin walked into the weight room for a lifting session and they found all of the pads had been removed for cleaning. Reid had them lift anyway.

"He taught me to persevere, no matter what the obstacle," Conklin said. "He's helped countless kids find their way, accomplish their goals."

As his wrestlers have accomplished goals on the mat, Reid has received a number of laurels and honors. In February 2018, the Raiders notched his 400th coaching victory. His teams have won three Shore Conference Class A South championships, eight team titles in District 24, and qualified for the sectionals 21 times and finished second in NJSIAA Group 4 five times.

Individually, his wrestlers have won six state championships, placed in the top eight 30 times, and he's had 33 Region champions and 76 district champions.

Reid, whose 41st season as coach started last week, has been state Coach of the Year, Region 6 Coach of the Year, and District 24 Coach of the Year, and is a member of several halls of fame.

A date for the wrestling room dedication ceremony has not yet been set.

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