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Building a Champion: Coach Eric Morley on Middletown North Wrestling’s Rise, Culture, and Grit

Airey Bros.'s Radio
Airey Bros.'s Radio
Episode • May 23 • 1h 15m
In Episode 361 of Airey Bros Radio, we step back onto the mat with Middletown North Wrestling Head Coach Eric Morley, a special education teacher and Shore Conference leader who took the Lions from a losing record to a Top 6 team in New Jersey.Coach Morley breaks down how he’s building a blue-collar powerhouse from the ground up—emphasizing culture, consistency, and character.

We talk about:
  • Turning around an 8–12 team into a 24–2 juggernaut

  • Coaching state champ Tyler Klinsky from middle school to Atlantic City

  • Lessons learned from Jay Nace and Rob Nucci

  • Balancing teaching, fatherhood, and two varsity sports

  • Why “tough together” isn’t just a slogan—it’s the standard

If you're a coach, wrestler, parent, or fan of grassroots growth and old-school grit, this episode is for you.🎧 Now streaming on all platforms:
🔗 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/61TKhMCXCfmfZRYb22saFe
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Aireybros
📲 Follow us on IG: @aireybrosradio

Timestamps / Show Notes
0:00 – Intro: The vision behind Airey Bros
1:08 – Middletown North's breakout season: From 8–12 to 24–2
3:00 – Shore Conference roots and shoutouts
6:00 – Coach Morley’s origin story in wrestling and teaching
10:00 – Coaching both soccer and wrestling at the varsity level
13:00 – Building culture at a blue-collar public school
20:00 – Beating Howell for the first time in 20 years
24:00 – Developing champions like Tyler Klinsky
31:00 – Sacrificing wins to build long-term grit
37:00 – How Middletown North wins without a wrestling room
45:00 – Coaching life lessons & tough conversations
50:00 – Raising the bar with special ed students
56:00 – On trades, vocations, and success beyond sports
1:05:00 – What’s ahead for the 2025–26 season
1:10:00 – Final Four: Daily rituals, coffee, music, guilty pleasures
1:15:00 – Closing reflections + gratitude

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