ASAP Podcast With OHHS Hall Of Fame Wrestler Greg Strochinsky

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Wrestling Strictly Business For a Cincinnati high school wrestler to qualify for the Ohio High School Athletic Association s State Wrestling Tournament is an arduous task at the very least Attaining and maintaining a given body weight-class wrestle-offs intense practices managing a disciplined approach to nutrition continuing the in-season strength training and conditioning program goals and of course lots of winning especially in the district and regional tournaments that are along the way to Columbus Ohio where the OHSAA State Wrestling Tournament is conducted at St John Arena on the campus of Ohio State University And that s the way it went for ASAP Athletic Strength And Power Podcast guest Greg Strochinsky a Cincinnati Oak Hills High School Hall of Fame wrestler who had the privilege to be coached by an Ohio High School wrestling coaching icon Dick Roche The coach a stoic military veteran was a strict disciplinarian who didn t veer off course too much when it came to following and enforcing rules He was the Woody Hayes of Oak Hills High School who despised losing and demanded that his wrestlers felt the same Conversely Strochinsky was the loose fun loving student athlete who oozed self confidence 24 7 His self-given nickname was strictly business which he prominently displayed on his shoes his pick-up truck t-shirts chains etc However Stroh shared the same desire for victory as did his coach And Coach Roche and Assistant OHHS Wrestling Coach Ken Hauck a Championship Miami Redskin defensive lineman and former OHHS wrestler himself knew that they had themselves a potential star in the making and didn t alter the strictly business mojo Unlike a lot of today s high school wrestlers Strochinsky never stepped onto a wrestling mat until he was a seventh grader In fact it was by chance that his junior high school gym teacher Randy Owen announced and encouraged the lanky twelve year old to explore the sport at an after school practice session It wasn t long before the hook was set and Strochinsky was well on his way to becoming an Oak Hills High School wrestling star Upon leaving junior high he entered high school 10th grade bringing a shiny winning record along in tow Initially Coach Roche wasn t greeting him with hugs and adulation But the two figures combined their passion for winning Stroh felt a bond to Roche and never wanted to disappoint the legendary coach Finally as an undefeated senior and state qualifier making the two hour drive to Columbus and walking into an arena packed with thousands of wrestling fans and supporters Strochinsky met the sting of defeat against a well skilled experienced state meet opponent in the semi-final match And not one to sulk or mope from the loss he d only felt the emotions of thinking that he d let his coach down Coach Roche passed away at the age of 73 Greg Strochinsky became instrumental in starting the Dick Roche Memorial Scholarship which can be awarded to dedicated wrestlers from the school Click here to visit this podcast episode