Coaches from the Massapequa PAL Youth Wrestling program have formed their own local wrestling program this year, and are asking the community for support. The aim is to strengthen the organization and "offer more children the opportunity of wrestling," said Vito Mundo, one of the organizers.

Over the past four years, the Massapequa High School Wrestling Booster Club ran successful fundraisers. Money raised from these helped to send high school teams to the Eastern States tournament and team members to wrestling camps, and to provide funding for equipment or activities that were not paid for by the school district.

That work brought the Booster Club supporters and the PAL coaches into close contact, and this year the coaches sought assistance in further developing their own program. The new organization is called Friends of Massapequa Wrestling, Inc., and offers four divisions: Youth, Middle School Booster Club, High School Booster Club and Alumni Division, which the organizers said would bring Massapequa's wrestling family "under one roof to grow strong."

To date more than 125 youngsters have signed up in the Youth Division. The Middle School Wrestling Team will be led by their new head coach Michael LaBella who culminated his Massapequa High School wrestling career by winning the 2003 New York State championship at 189 pounds before wrestling at Edinboro College.

The High School Booster Club, which has always supported the high school team, will continue as a division of the Friends of Massapequa Wrestling, and be able to take advantage of tax savings as part of a not-for-profit corporation.

The organizers also want to start an Alumni & Friends Division. By using the internet, emails and publishing a newsletter, they want to keep everyone up to date on special events and how the local wrestlers are doing. Anyone interested can go to www.league lineup.com/massapequawrestling.

The new organization has Al Bevalaqua, Tony Bochiaro, Chris Chimeri, Steve Grimes, Gene Isnardi,Tommy Kalinoglu, secretary; Gary Mims, vice president, Vito Mundo, treasurer; RichRuth, Steve Strumwasser,DanW etzel, president, and Steve Young on its board of directors.

The coaches and officers will be kicking off its new organization onAlumni Night on Sat. Dec., 29 at the finals of the Massapequa Holiday Tournament. The celebration will continue after the finals at Sidekicks on Park Boulevard, Massapequa Park.

This year's alumni night will honor the 10th anniversary of the 1997-98 New York State Championship Massapequa Wrestling team.

Anyone who was a member of that team, or knows someone who was is being asked to contact the organization via email at chiefswrestling@aol.com.

In addition, the organization is asking for support financially. Contributions to the Friends of Massapequa Wrestling can be sent to them at P.O.Box 322, Massapequa Park, NY 11762.