The 2025-2026 Cougar Wrestling season started with a 3rd place win at the Murrow Tournament. This was impressive considering that the Cougar wrestling team had graduated seven starters last year! The Cougars had a strong regular season, finishing in 3rd place in Brooklyn’s 2A Division.
This year’s captains Yusufdzhon Balaev and Nikolas Cabrera have taken the new Cougar grapplers under their wings and showed them that hard work wins matches. This year’s senior leaders like Amirjon Bahrilloev and Mohammad Rayan have also passed on lifelong lessons to their teammates of persevering during grueling practices in Gym D that build both physical and mental toughness. Coaches Daiello and Bracco are impressed by the commitment and no quit attitude made by young wrestlers like Hamdi Abdullah, Shukurolloh Davlatov, Mukhammad Kholmirzaev, Islom Khayrullaev, Jamkhur Ravshanov, and Muhammadsharif Jumaev.
The Cougars a lucky to have a dedicated Head Coach with a specific philosophy for success. Coach Daiello shared the central parts of his philosophy developed over more than 10 years of coaching with The New Dealer.
1. Teamwork is a major part of wrestling. I have always said that individual wrestlers are as good as their teammates that they train with. Many of our drills in practice are partner drills and require both wrestlers to work together.
2. Our practice routine is usually 10–15-minute warm-up, 30-45 minutes drilling of techniques, 15-30 minutes of competitive live wrestling and 5-10 cool down and stretching.
3. I enjoy watching our diverse team that comes from many different backgrounds become like a family after enduring the rigorous practices and competitions together.
4. Our team’s strongest trait is that they all help each other and work hard to improve their wrestling skills, but have fun doing it.
5. I like coaching wrestling because it is a mentally and physically challenging sport that builds self-confidence in our student-athletes by participating in tough practices and competitions.
6. I always tell graduating seniors to apply the discipline developed on the wrestling mats to their college and life challenges.
Once again, the Wrestling team has proven to be one of FDR’s top athletic programs! Congrats on an excellent year Cougars!