Patrick Fergus
@Fergus5Fergus
As accomplished as former Springfield wrestling star Mike Gaeta is, it’s not all the winning that sticks with him.
“I always think about the losses,” Gaeta said. “You remember the losses better than the wins.”
A strange sort of mindset, especially when considering the illustrious resume that Gaeta put together during his four years battling on the mats of the Doug Parker Wrestling Room.
Gaeta graduated in 2007 as one of only two wrestlers in the program’s history to earn All-American honors all four years.
“I am very proud of that,” said Gaeta. “Even though I didn’t reach all my goals, I don’t have any regrets.”
He represented Springfield well on the regional and national stages as well, guiding the team to NECCWA (New England College Conference Wrestling Association) Championship titles in 2005 and 2006, and placed highly at the NCAA DIII Championships, finishing fifth overall in 2004, 2006 and 2007, as well as seventh in 2005. Gaeta finished his career with an astounding record of 124-30.
Gaeta started late, only beginning to formerly wrestle in seventh grade. As a part of the Braves wrestling team, he made a name for himself at Manalapan High School in New Jersey, where, at the time of his graduation, he held the record for the most wins in the school’s history with 102.
“My high school team was pretty good,” said Gaeta. “I like to joke, but there’s no question about it. I was definitely not the best kid on my high school team… I’ll take third.”
Moving to another successful program was essential for Gaeta. The transition to collegiate athletics was certainly no breeze, as Gaeta dealt with a difficult learning curve after a rough start to his first year.
“I had 17 losses my freshman year….and that was almost the amount of losses I had in high school,” said Gaeta. “It was about dealing with the losing, and when you were in that room, it was strictly about getting better.”
Collegiate wrestling was about the little things for Gaeta. There aren’t any new moves to master; instead, the college level features an emphasis on fine-tuning your skills on the mat while strengthening the level of determination to win.
Gaeta believes in the importance of the mental side of the sport, often overlooked for straightforward comparisons of physical might and athleticism, echoing the message: A rigid mindset and persistent work ethic make a good wrestler into a great one.
This adage helped Gaeta learn from his mistakes and improve every match.
“When you have that opportunity again, take advantage,” said Gaeta. “I lost to three kids during the season of my freshman year, and I beat them all at conferences.”
Getting better and better, Gaeta was soon able to hang with just about anyone, and he wasn’t alone in the effort. Gaeta is quick to credit teammates and coaches as an integral part of his improvement from year to year.
One of the main attractions of Springfield for Gaeta was the wrestling program, and a coach like Daryl Arroyo helped. Arroyo, a Springfield Athletics Hall of Fame inductee himself, was the perfect type of leader for Gaeta.
“He knew how to say the right thing at the right times and keep you motivated,” said Gaeta. “He knew how to get through to each kid and get them ready to succeed.”
Gaeta was passionate about physical education, away from the pins and grapples. It was a career he had always seen himself succeeding in, and today, he works as a health and PE teacher at Freehold Township High School back in New Jersey.
Much like Arroyo and his previous coaches had done, Gaeta wants to leave an impact on his students.
“People helped me to reach my goals and become the best I can be, and I feel like that is something that’s kind of lost,” Gaeta said. “Having the opportunity to be able to do that for other people is awesome, and something I feel is extra important.”
Many of the life-long lessons Gaeta acquired during his wrestling career can be applied to his work in the classroom, with one standing out in particular.
“Accountability, it’s what makes you better,” Gaeta said. “Being prepared and holding yourself accountable…. if you don’t do that, you’re never going to get better and never get as good as you possibly can.”
Gaeta will return to campus as a part of the 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame class this Saturday, April 6. His athletic excellence will undoubtedly be enshrined thanks to his perseverance, spectacular work ethic and determination to win.
The ever-humble Gaeta is still honored to be among the very best in Springfield’s athletic history.
“When I wrestled, I went out there and did what I thought I could do, and there’s no way I would’ve gotten there by myself,” said Gaeta.
Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Athletics