085: Sonny DiMatteo

Three high schools. Three very different experiences. And Sonny DiMatteo says he wouldn't change the path. The Point Pleasant Borough senior has already experienced more change during his high school wrestling career than most athletes ever will. He started at Brick Memorial — the program he had dreamed about wrestling for since elementary school. As a freshman, he reached the blood round in Atlantic City. As a sophomore, he placed 4th in New Jersey. Then he made a major decision. He transferred to CBA. One year later, he made another one. He left CBA and transferred to Point Pleasant Borough for his senior season. In this episode of New Jersey Mat Chat, Sonny gives an honest look at what went into those decisions and what he's learned along the way. One of the most interesting things about Sonny's story is that he doesn't pretend every decision worked exactly the way he expected. CBA wasn't ultimately the right fit. His wrestling career hasn't followed a straight line. There were losses. There were moments he questioned wrestling. There were transfers. But when we asked Sonny what he would change if he could do it all again, his answer was basically: Nothing. Brick Memorial. CBA. Point Pleasant Borough. That's the path that got him here. And as Sonny says in this episode: “Everything happens for a reason.” Now there's one chapter left. 🤼 Sonny DiMatteo 🏫 Point Pleasant Borough 🥉 NJ State 4th Place 🎟️ 3X NJ State Tournament Competitor 🔥 Shore Thing Wrestling Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat for conversations with the wrestlers, coaches and legends shaping New Jersey wrestling. Watch 'The Godfather of MMA' Now available now on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0HHCGGT6S 00:00 The Godfather of MMA 01:06 Meet Sonny DiMatteo 01:41 Growing Up at Shore Thing Wrestling 03:03 Why Sonny Took a Holdback Year 05:33 Why He Always Wanted to Wrestle at Brick Memorial 07:55 Creating His Own Wrestling Season 09:52 Why Sonny Never Bounced Between Wrestling Clubs 13:04 His Freshman & Sophomore Years at Brick Memorial 13:34 Why Sonny Left Brick Memorial for CBA 16:57 Adjusting to Life at CBA 20:12 A Rocky Start to His Junior Wrestling Season 21:23 The Time Sonny Almost Quit Wrestling 22:18 Why March Matters More Than Your Record 23:25 Looking Back at His First Season at CBA 25:23 Why Sonny Left CBA for Point Pleasant Borough 26:31 Choosing to Wrestle With His Brother 28:07 Starting Over at a Third High School 29:17 Becoming a Leader at Point Borough 30:33 Point Borough’s Team Goals 32:14 Sonny’s College Wrestling Recruitment 35:04 His Goals for His Senior Season 36:08 Why Sonny Signed Up for a Marathon 37:54 Advice to His 7-Year-Old Self 38:37 Public vs. Non-Public: What Sonny Learned 40:56 Why He Loves the Small-Town Feel 41:48 Would He Change His High School Path? 42:21 Greatest NJ High School Wrestler Ever? 42:59 Why Wrestling History Matters 44:15 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro