Joseph Kemmerer

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My wrestling career started at age 6 at the YMCA in Wilkes-Barre PA. Since then, almost every aspect of my life has been influenced by wrestling. This great sport has taught me many life skills and has shaped my entire life. We had a great group of kids and coaches on my youth team, but it was much more than a local wrestling team. We were family. Some of those people have become my life-long best friends. Without this great start I would never have gotten to where I am right now.

After being competitive in youth wrestling, I then continued my journey to Crestwood MS/HS. Where again I was incredibly fortunate to have had amazing men as my coaches and mentors. In middle school and especially in high school I went from being competitive to dominant. Winning the AAA state championship and having an undefeated senior season gave me the opportunity and funding to go to college.

First at UNC Greensboro where I won a D1 Southern Conference Championship and was named Southern Conference Freshman of the Year. Then at Kutztown University where I won 2 DII NCAA Championships and was named NWCA Most Outstanding wrestler. After graduating I furthered my education at Liberty University as a Graduate Assistant Coach where I continued to train and compete winning a University National Championship in Greco. Which led me to winning the University World Team Trials and getting the chance to compete at the University World Championship in Italy.

I also met my beautiful wife through wrestling (who was a wrestling manager for many years in HS and college). Now we have two sons and run a successful wrestling club for a living. I am proud to say that our NOVA Wrestling Club are 4x Defending VA Team State Champions in Folkstyle, Freestyle, and Greco Roman wrestling.  My kids now thrive in a similar environment and enjoy wrestling themselves. Their teammates are now their best friends. Without wrestling I would be living a life that has zero resemblance to the one I have today. I could not be more grateful for this great sport and the numerous people that have helped me immensely along the way. Especially my Mother and Father my amazing support system who have given me everything and I could not ever thank enough. Nana and Uncle Tommy (my biggest fans!), Coaches Dave Emerick, Jim Martin, Rick Gaetano, Darren Testa, Joe Jacobs, Matt Giampietro, Scott Fisher, countless practice partners that still befriended me even though I constantly tried to torture them on a daily basis. There are many more awesome people that have had a positive impact on my development and I am eternally grateful to all of them and hope to be able to give back a fraction of what I have received.