Chardon camp to feature ex-Ohio State stars

You want star-studded tutelage in a summer wrestling camp?

The Chardon Hilltoppers have you covered.

Former Ohio State stars Logan Steiber, Nathan Tomasello and J Jaggers will be the keynote clinicians at a oneday wrestling camp at Chardon High School on July 2.

Steiber is a four-time NCAA champion and world champion, Tomasello is a four-time Big Ten champion and a former NCAA champion and Jaggers was a twotime national champion before taking a position as associate head coach under Tom Ryan at Ohio State.

The decorated lineup was announced this week by Chardon wrestling coach Nick Salatino and comes on the heels of a camp last summer where Olympic champion Kyle Snyder was guest clinician.

“I was sitting around over spring break brainstorming,” Salatino said. “I knew it would be hard to top Kyle Snyder, but this might get us close.”

The one-day camp runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Chardon High School gymnasium and is limited to the first 100 participants.

Cost is $135 per participant, with coaches and athletic directors admitted free. Groups of 10 or more can save $10 per wrestler if all register together.

Tomasello’s portion of the clinic will run from 9 to 11 a.m. and deal with wrestling out of the neutral position.

Jaggers will teach the finer points from counters and cradles from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

After lunch, which is provided as part of the camp, Steiber will teach top-position wrestling from 2 to 4 p.m.

“First and foremost, I want the kids to have a great experience,” Salatino said. “You want them to have great experiences and meet great people. Through clinics like this, they get the idea what hard work and dedication is all about.”

Salatino said the connection to Ohio State’s wrestling program is made possible by Matthew O’Hara, a 2011 graduate of Chardon who was a state-placer his senior year under Salatino’s tutelage.

O’Hara was a walk-on with the Ohio State wrestling team, and was drill partner with Snyder for a few years.

O’Hara is now an accountant in Columbus.

“I asked if they were available,” Salatino said of Steiber, Tomasello and Jaggers, “and lo and behold all of them were. It’s going to be an exciting day.”

For more information or to register, email nick.salatino@chardonschools.org.