Parents Breathe Life Into New Hope-Solebury Wrestling Program

NEW HOPE, PA — At its height, New Hope-Solebury boasted a championship wresting team that reached the state tournament, four district champions and seven overall tournament place winners.

It was a great time to be a wrestler in New Hope-Solebury.

But that began to quickly change in 2016 with the folding of the local Solebury youth program.

Without stable leadership, students from New Hope and South Hunterdon suddenly had to commute to the Lower Bucks County SEPA wrestling program located 30 minutes away.

Only four New Hope wrestlers took on the burdensome drive. And by 2017, the New Hope-Solebury High School wrestling team had all but disbanded.

That's when New Hope-Solebury parents Jeff Harris and Max Tritremmel stepped in to help revive the sport.

“We wanted our kids to have the same opportunities we had to participate in the sport in their school colors,” said Tritremmel.

They were joined in the effort by a group of parents from South Hunterdon, who shared a
similar story.

These parents, volunteering as coaches and program directors, were able to successfully
rebuild the youth program. And within three short seasons, they reached a roster of 50 wrestlers. They even won the President’s Award for an Outstanding Program from the Delaware River
Wrestling League.

Despite the forward momentum, the setbacks continued.

NHS wrestling alumni in the stands return to cheer for the new wrestlers. (Photo by Karla Donohoe)

In 2019, they lobbied for a middle school program in New Hope-Solebury, only to find that a qualified coach could not be secured. And in 2020, COVID-19 pandemic restrictions put the entire Delaware River League on an indefinite sabbatical.

Enough progress had been made in their youth league, however, to maintain a roster of 20
students who were now willing to make the drive to wrestle in Lower Bucks.

By the 2021-22 season, New Hope-Solebury had enough wrestlers for a roster, but still no coach.

Again, the parents stepped up.

Jeff Harris and Max Tritremmel volunteered to coach, coordinating evening practices around their work schedules and running four-hour weekend clinics. They managed to help three middle school wrestlers finish their pre-tournament campaigns undefeated and to continue to grow the roster.

The next and important task before them became helping the school find a suitable coach.

Meghan Leone, whose son Donovan is a dedicated wrestler, joined in to help.

“My son Donovan takes his wrestling to another level—he’s really dedicated and wants to wrestle in college someday. Having a school team means the world to him because it’s how he can get
noticed for a college roster.”

It was Leone who tracked down Irv Miller, a former New Hope-Solebury coach, to ask for his
help. Miller declined the role, but recommended they approach a former wrestler he once
coached, Dustin Blevins.

Blevins graduated New Hope-Solebury in 2010, having spent four years as a varsity wrestler. When first asked about the position, Blevins sought advice from his old coach about whether he was ready for his first head coach role.

Blevins said, “My former coach is one of my personal heroes … From 2005-2010, I was in the
building, on the team, and it was a big part of my life. The lessons I learned on the mat still
stick with me today.”

At the urging of his former coach, Blevins accepted the opportunity. He now coaches a young
team of mostly freshmen. There is a mix of students with years of experience and some who
are completely new to the sport. He tries to balance the needs of both, emphasizing the
fundamentals with the rookies, while still engaging those with more developed skills.

Overarchingly, he emphasizes conditioning and the need for endurance.

Blevins is already proving himself as head coach.

"The kids all love him and have a great connection with him,” said Leone.

The team’s record is 5-6 with wins over George School, Devon Prep, Overbrook, and Springside Chestnut Hill. The team also had near-victories over Bristol and Germantown Friends, losing only because they could not fill all weight classes and were forced to forfeit.

While there are obstacles ahead, the sentiment among the students, families, coaches, and alumni who love wrestling at New Hope-Solebury is optimistic. Several alumni have been spotted in the crowds during recent matches rooting for the team's continued success.

Tritremmel, who has seen this program through its many challenges, said, “Personally, it
means the world to me to see my son Will (and his teammates) out there and watch him (them)
grow in this sport. The bulk of the team is underclassmen or wrestlers of limited experience
and seeing them competing with fourth year seniors and some of the area's best wrestlers
shows how promising our program is and how they develop every week.”