Courtesy of North Jersey dot com
Coach Baranello, seen here coaching during a previous season, owns a Great Dane who is actually bigger than some of his wrestlers.
River Dell head wrestling coach Coach Baranello traces his involvement in the sport back to family and early exposure.
“My two older brothers wrestled. My dad was their coach,” Baranello said. “I started at the age of four, getting dragged along to all their practices. So a combination of my brothers and my dad inspired me to get involved with wrestling.”
That foundation stayed with him throughout his career. Baranello also credits River Dell and the coaches who shaped him, especially current athletic director Coach Tota.
“I was fortunate to have great coaches here at River Dell,” Baranello said. “Coach Tota was my head wrestling coach. I was fortunate enough to come back and be his assistant. Eventually, I became the head coach. I learned a lot from Coach Tota and still do.”
Baranello’s coaching philosophy centers on setting—and continually raising—expectations.
“We set our goals high every single year. We want to be the best, and that’s it,” he said. “Dan Gable says, ‘I’m a big believer in starting with high standards and raising them.’ I fully agree with that. We are a well-conditioned team, willing to put in more work than our opponents, and always look to score the next point.”
Beyond competition, Baranello believes wrestling prepares student-athletes for life.
“Wrestling teaches self-discipline and that things might not always go your way, but you need to continue to get back to work and improve,” he said. “It teaches hard work, being a team player, and making sacrifices for yourself and the team. Those traits directly translate into adulthood, jobs, and family.”
As a new parent, Baranello said his perspective on leadership is still evolving.
“I’m not so sure yet,” he said. “But I would like to be the type of coach my daughter will have when she gets into athletics—a coach that is willing to do anything for the team, cares for the athletes on and off the mat, is all-in all the time, and has a vision for the program. And a coach that wins is always good too.”
Looking ahead, Baranello’s goals for the River Dell wrestling program are ambitious and clear.
“We want to win a state sectional championship. Our last one came in 2008,” he said. “I think we are close, but we have to go out there and earn it. Nothing is given.”
The program continues to expand its competitive reach, including competing in the Beast of the East national tournament for the first time.
“We are going to continue wrestling top competition not only in New Jersey but around the country,” Baranello said. “If you are a student in the River Dell school district, you do not have to leave to go to a parochial school to get competition or be coached well.”
At the heart of the program is a team-first mentality.
“When future wrestlers come to River Dell, we will develop them to be great wrestlers and great young men and women,” Baranello said. “We are a team-first type of team. When we have team goals, individual goals will follow.”