Vinnie Santaniello Legend of Shore Thing Wrestling on Coaching, Building Champions & New Jersey Wrestling Culture
In Episode 348 of Airey Bros Radio, we go belly-to-belly with Vinnie Santaniello, founder of Shore Thing Wrestling Club, NCAA Division III finalist, and Ocean County Sheriff. Vinnie takes us deep inside:
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Timestamps & Show Notes
0:00 — Intro: Airey Bros cover the Shore Conference wrestling scene
1:00 — Meet Vinnie Santaniello: Brick Memorial, TC&J, NCAA DIII finalist
2:00 — Shore Thing Wrestling Club origins & early champions
5:00 — Fun stories from the early days + UFC fighters in the room
8:00 — Moving through facilities: Fitness 2000 to Pine Grove to Lakewood
12:00 — Vinnie’s judo roots & the transition to wrestling dominance
16:00 — Brick Memorial’s golden era & system coaching approach
20:00 — Shore Conference culture: toughness, style, legacy
25:00 — How Shore Thing balances teaching systems + personal styles
28:00 — Funk roll stories, technique evolution, and club innovation
35:00 — Helping kids navigate failure, growth, and high-level practice
40:00 — Being a wrestling parent, balancing sports, and long-term development
45:00 — The grind of New Jersey wrestling & handling injuries
50:00 — Final 4 Questions: coffee habits, rituals, country music favorites, guilty pleasures
55:00 — Outro: upcoming guests and thanks to Vinnie Santaniello
- The rise of Brick Memorial wrestling
- His judo background and how it shaped his mat style
- Building Shore Thing into a powerhouse club with over 40 NJ state champs and 250+ state medalists
- Coaching philosophy, athlete development, and letting kids fail and innovate
- Generational success stories: from club beginnings to coaching his own sons to state titles
- The evolution of New Jersey Shore Conference wrestling, scrambling, funk rolls, and more
Follow Airey Bros Radio on Instagram and YouTube: @aireybrosradio
Timestamps & Show Notes
0:00 — Intro: Airey Bros cover the Shore Conference wrestling scene
1:00 — Meet Vinnie Santaniello: Brick Memorial, TC&J, NCAA DIII finalist
2:00 — Shore Thing Wrestling Club origins & early champions
5:00 — Fun stories from the early days + UFC fighters in the room
8:00 — Moving through facilities: Fitness 2000 to Pine Grove to Lakewood
12:00 — Vinnie’s judo roots & the transition to wrestling dominance
16:00 — Brick Memorial’s golden era & system coaching approach
20:00 — Shore Conference culture: toughness, style, legacy
25:00 — How Shore Thing balances teaching systems + personal styles
28:00 — Funk roll stories, technique evolution, and club innovation
35:00 — Helping kids navigate failure, growth, and high-level practice
40:00 — Being a wrestling parent, balancing sports, and long-term development
45:00 — The grind of New Jersey wrestling & handling injuries
50:00 — Final 4 Questions: coffee habits, rituals, country music favorites, guilty pleasures
55:00 — Outro: upcoming guests and thanks to Vinnie Santaniello
Activity