Remembering Coach Jim Holmgren

We are raising money to celebrate the life of Jim Holmgren, who has been a fixture of the Sachem Wrestling Community for 40 years. The funds raised will go directly to have a proper wake and funeral for our dear friend Jim. Any additional funds will go towards a celebration of his life that will be hosted this summer. Services for Coach Holmgren will be held at Moloney's Funeral Home in Holbrook (825 Main Street, Holbrook, New York 11741) on Sunday February 6th at 2-4 and 7-9. More details to follow for his Celebration of Life. We hope to see you all there.
Former Sachem Wrestling Coach Al Bertolone will be managing the donations which again will pay the cost of Coach Holmgren's Funeral and cremation. Any additional funds will go towards the  Celebration of Life gathering that will take place later on this year. In addition we 
intend on creating a scholarship in his name for the Sachem Wrestling programs.

Coach was honored with a Lifetime Service Award this past winter and we included his induction below to share a small glimpse of what he's meant to Sachem Wrestling. 

"Tonight we will be honoring someone who has been a fixture of the Sachem Wrestling community for nearly 40 years! Coach Jim Holmgren has been a mentor and inspiration to generations of Sachem Wrestlers and tonight we will be presenting him with a Lifetime Service Award. After his days competing as a varsity wrestler at Lindenhurst HS and SUNY Oswego Coach Holmgren joined the staff as an assistant to Hall of Fame Coach Jack Mahoney in 1981. After a few years Coach Holmgren settled in as a middle school coach where he would spend the better part of 4 decades impacting Sachem Wrestlers. A key component of a successful varsity program is a strong middle school program and Coach Holmgren provided just that as his passion for wrestling rubbed off so many of his wrestlers building the foundation for the successful tradition of the Sachem Wrestling program.

 More important than his role in wins and losses coach Holmgren served as more than a coach to his wrestlers, he was often a father figure. He was a mentor, a confidant, he taught them to believe in themselves, he opened his home and provided food and shelter to our wrestlers who needed that care. Coach never wanted anything in return, no special recognition or thank you. All he wanted to do was sit Mat side and watch the young boys and girls he coached turn into outstanding adults. For Coach Holmgren that's all the thanks and recognition he ever wanted or needed. Tonight we want to thank Coach Holmgren for his unending dedication to the Sachem Wrestling community. Coach on behalf of the entire Sachem wrestling community we would like to present you with this lifetime service award!"

We will miss Coach Holmgren very much and know his legacy will be carried on in all of us. Thank you for your support as we remember an anchor in our community who gave back to so many.