When Fort Lupton wrestling coach Tom Galicia graduated from high school in 1978, he thought he’d go to then-Western State University and become a teacher.
Galicia wrestled growing up in school. He also played football and ran track for Fort Lupton High School. When he got to college, he was a walk-on for the WSU football team and wrestled for two years. He also started his family while he was in college.
Back to his roots
Galicia turned his teaching desire into teaching athletes at his alma mater.
The Colorado High School Activities Association took note of that and saluted Galicia’s 30 years as a wrestling coach during the state wrestling tournament at Ball Arena this winter.
It was the same night that the Bluedevils’ D’mitri Garza-Alarcon and Rylee Balcazar won state championships. He won his fourth straight, and she won her second.
Galicia has also coached girls soccer, football and baseball. He coached the area’s Little League youth wrestling program for 12 years before moving up to the high school program.
“Coach (Duane) Dienes got me into the football program,” Galicia said. “Pino Bachicha (former state wrestling champion at Fort Lupton, founder of the city’s youth wrestling program and a state and national wrestling hall of fame member) got me into the wrestling program,” Galicia said. “I coached my girl’s soccer team. I just found a niche. Everyone told me I had a voice that kids would listen to.”
That wasn’t the only reason.
“I wanted to stay involved because of the competition and because of the friendships you make,” he said.
Coaching tree and other changes
Galicia took over the Fort Lupton program from Conrad Parra, who went on to coach at Aurora Central High School. Galicia also was an assistant for former coach Dan Bollinger in the early 2000s.
He adds pieces of other styles to his routine also.
“You apply a learning curve,” Galicia said. “Dan was patient with student athletes. He was a teacher. Conrad was, too. He had a lot of wrestling knowledge, and he used to write things down before practice. We went to camps to learn things. We go to Western State every year. Coach Parra started us on that 22 years ago.”
Fort Lupton has hosted its own summer camp for the past 17 years.
One thing Galicia has noticed in his coaching career is how many more activities are available for teenagers.
“You have to have some balance, and you have to talk to them about what each sport demands in terms of extra time,” he said. “You’re always communicating with them. We go to off-season camps, a couple of tournaments.”
Aside from the camp at Western State, Fort Lupton sends wrestlers to tournaments in California, Virginia Beach, Pueblo and Grand Junction. Fundraising efforts through the program are used to offset the cost for the parents.
“I want to thank the community,” Galicia said. “It’s nice to be in a wrestling community whose support enables us to travel.”
Galicia said those out-of-town tournaments serve another purpose.
“At these national tournaments, you see that you have to counter a move we use. So, you have to counter that counter. It’s always evolving,” he said. That’s where the sport is. It’s crazy. Their technique is so sound, you’re always trying to copy it.
“Wrestling has changed so much,” Galicia continued. “The skill level is immense. They are in clubs for more mat time. They frequently travel out of town. Their families are dedicated to those tournaments.”
Garza-Alarcon competed in Vietnam during his high school career.
Not slowing down
Galicia thinks this year’s seventh- and eighth-graders will make contributions to the varsity program. The youngsters won their league title, a tournament at Wellington High School, an All-State championship and a middle-school-based state tournament.
“I get on the mat when I can,” he said. “I enjoy it every time. I always joke that if you’re a freshman or a sophomore, I’ll wrestle with you. But when they get to be juniors and seniors, I can’t handle them.
“I know I was blessed to get into coaching in the Little League and high school levels,” Galicia added. “I feel blessed to be able to continue. I love being around kids all the time. Seeing their success in the classroom and on the field warms my heart. That’s where you know where you belong.”