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Damian Ross, Ridgewood Wrestling Legend Gets Honored

By Scott Carter, Staff Writer

In the mid 1980’s one can make a good argument that there was no tougher arena for amateur high school wrestling than Northern New Jersey. Given its dense population, the talent pool of New Jersey Wrestling is virtually bottomless. Wrestlers like Tom Husted, Tim and Chris Catalfo, Ed Kojacki, Bob Whitacker the list goes on and on. There is not an NCAA final or Junior College National Championship that does not have a handful of New Jersey wrestlers.

Ridgewood was not a wrestling power house. Teams like Emerson, Pascack Hills, and Bergenfield always had wrestlers in the State Finals. But despite tremendous competition, one Ridgewood wrestler managed to break through.

Like most kids, Damian Ross started wrestling at an early age, but it was not an easy first few years. Ross recalls, “I remember going to junior wrestling practice and just getting my butt kicked. I was big for my age so I always wrestled older kids. It was tough but my father kept taking me. All I remember was that I didn’t like losing and I wanted to be better.”

Damian Ross had his first break out year in 5^th grade. “I finally placed in the state tournament. The AAU used to give out blue t-shirts to the kids who placed in the top three. All I wanted was a blue t-shirt. When I finally earned one I wore it for a week straight, I might still have it!”

Ross continued to seek outside competition. He recalls is father taking him around the east coast to wrestle in regional and national tournaments. “My dad would pack us in the car and we would drive for hours. God bless him, all I would do is listen to AC DC and think about the tournament. As I got better we drove farther.”

“My father eventually took over the fledgling junior wrestling program and seved as president for 25 years.”

Damian Ross started seeing major success as a freshman wrestling varsity at 158 pounds. Back in a time when freshman who saw varsity time was rare and in the lightweight categories. “I remember going to practice and the seniors looking at me like I was some kind of freak. Here was this kid just beating guys who thought they had their varsity spot all locked up.”

As a wrestler for Ridgewood High School, Damian Ross place 3^rd in the state tournament his Junior year. He won regional and national titles in freestyle and Greco-roman all through out his amateur career. He received a season ending injury during the state championship football game his senior year.

Even though Damian Ross has gone on to accomplish other athletic feats, he still credits his formative years in wrestling as the driving force behind his will to succeed.

“A wrestling career, like other individual sports, usually ends with a loss or an injury. It is a thankless sport if you think about it. You sacrifice so much and it ends with some sort of disappointment. Like life, it’s not about the medals and the trophies, its about the journey and the will to get better, learn and improve. In most sports you need some natural gifts, speed size and strength. Wrestling is one of the few sports that if you work hard, despite a lack of natural gifts, you can still make your mark through hard work. I can’t think of a better way to prepare for life.”

Damian Ross is now the CEO and founder of the Self Defense Company headquartered in Saddle River New Jersey where he and his wife run the defensive tactics training and education business. You can visit their site at www.selfdefensecompany.com