RHS history teacher Bryan Aspera head wrestling coach for the Wolves.

Media release: Rome High School principal Dr. Tygar Evans and Athletic Director Kevin Strickland have named RHS history teacher Bryan Aspera head wrestling coach for the Wolves.

Aspera has been with Rome High since 2005 and was head wrestling coach at Rome Middle School and an assistant on the varsity team for six years. During his tenure with the program under head coach Wesley Styles, RHS fielded its most successful teams in school history with three wrestlers winning five state titles.

In 2009, Immanuel Kerr-Brown and Conor Young won Rome High's first state championships in wrestling. Kerr-Brown repeated his title in 2010, being joined by Randy Roden, who also repeated in 2011.

"I am confident that Coach Aspera is the right person to continue the tradition of wrestling excellence that we have grown accustomed to at Rome High School.　 We value Coach Aspera's expertise and passion for the sport and for his wrestlers," said Rome Athletic Director Kevin Strickland.

Kerr-Brown and Roden each attend Duke University on wrestling scholarships. Rome also sent five other wrestlers to compete in college while Aspera was coaching the Wolves: Opelia Felipe-Cumberlands, Conor Young- Campbellsville, Emmanuel Woods-Tennessee Temple, Austin Schaekel and Jamal Reynolds-Mercer.

"I'm happy to be able to continue to work with a great group of student-athletes, and I am excited about the challenge of continuing to develop our program and our young wrestlers in the classroom, in the community and on the mat," said Aspera.

A Wahiawa, Hawaii, native, Aspera served as head wrestling coach at Roosevelt High School in Honolulu for ten years. While there, he coached wrestlers who later competed at schools such as the University of Oregon and Pacific University. Two more of his former wrestlers went on to the Olympic Training Center. One of his former wrestlers, Clarissa Chun, will be wrestling in the London Olympics in August. Overall, 98% of his wrestlers attended college. In 1999, Aspera was named Coach of the Year for his team's region.

Aspera and his wife Jackie have one daughter, Caitlyn, age three.

For more information about Rome High wrestling, please visit www.romewolvesathletics.net.