075: Jayce Cappello

Jayce Cappello didn't grow up as an elite year-round wrestler. He was a baseball player who got serious about wrestling entering high school. Now he's chasing an NJ State Championship. Toms River East standout Jayce Cappello joins New Jersey Mat Chat to talk about his rapid rise in New Jersey high school wrestling, balancing two sports, and why he's choosing wrestling as the path he wants to pursue at the next level. Jayce entered his freshman season with virtually no expectations—and ended it wrestling at the NJ State Championships. After placing the following year, he's entering his junior season with a completely different mindset. In this episode: ⚾ Growing up as a serious baseball player 🤼 When he realized he could be really good at wrestling 🔥 Making States as a freshman 💪 How athleticism, scrambling and conditioning helped close the experience gap ⚾ Balancing high school baseball with year-round wrestling ❤️ Why he ultimately fell in love with wrestling 🎓 Choosing wrestling over baseball if he gets the opportunity in college 🤼 Training at Shore Thing and Top Dog 🏫 Why he chose to stay at Toms River East instead of going private 🧠 How Coach Mark Grey transformed his wrestling 💪 Why Toms River East believes toughness can separate them this season ⚖️ His approach to weight cutting 😂 Life inside the Toms River East wrestling room 🏆 His goal of becoming a New Jersey State Champion 🧠 The mental work he believes will get him there Jayce also talks about the expectations surrounding Toms River East wrestling this season and why he believes their difficult schedule will have them battle-tested when the postseason arrives. This is a great conversation for young athletes who don't necessarily specialize in wrestling from the time they're five years old. Jayce's development shows what can happen when athletic ability meets the right coaching, training partners and commitment. 🤼 Guest: Jayce Cappello 🏫 Toms River East Wrestling 🎯 Goal: NJ State Champion Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat for conversations with the wrestlers, coaches and legends shaping New Jersey high school wrestling. ••Premier Sports Nutrition - Champion Athletes - https://champion-athletes.com 00:00 Champion Athletes Nutrition 01:22 Meet Toms River East’s Jayce Cappello 01:48 Big Expectations for Toms River East 03:10 When Wrestling Became Serious 03:39 Making States as a Freshman 04:09 How Athleticism Helped His Wrestling 05:29 Balancing Baseball & Wrestling 06:17 Why He Fell in Love With Wrestling 07:33 Baseball vs. Wrestling: Which Helps More? 08:15 Choosing Wrestling for College 08:28 Training at Shore Thing & Top Dog 09:36 Why He Chose Public School 10:18 The Impact of Coach Mark Grey 11:03 Inside the Toms River East Wrestling Room 12:11 Why He Doesn’t Cut Much Weight 13:24 Turning His Family Into Wrestling Fans 14:29 The Toms River East Team Clown 15:19 The Goal: Win an NJ State Title 16:35 The Mental Side of Wrestling 17:30 Wrestling vs. Baseball Officiating 18:18 His Family’s Toms River Baseball Connection 19:19 Coaches, Family & Final Thoughts 19:55 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro