Walt Whitman Stories

The 2023 Vin Altebrando Wrestling Festival

Written by Liz DeMonte | Jan 18, 2024 8:27:08 PM
The 2023 Vin Altebrando Outdoor Wrestling Festival was a huge success! It’s the only wrestling tournament to be held entirely outside on Long Island, and this year it featured 350 wrestlers participating on nine different mats on the football field at Walt Whitman High School, the largest field of participants in the five year history of the event..
 
 
This event united so many people from across Long Island for a tremendous cause, raising money for Maggie’s Mission. Maggie’s Mission brings awareness to pediatric cancers, while supporting families after their child has been diagnosed. This support includes organizing wish trips; coordinating private plane trips for critically ill children and their families; paying full monthly mortgage payments; rent payments; expensive medical co-payments; fulfilling Amazon wish lists; purchasing iPads; building gaming computers so children are occupied while spending countless hours in the hospital; offering temporary housing to families in need; and feeding meals to families from around the world staying at the Ronald McDonald House in NYC.
 
 
The event, which is the premiere outdoor wrestling festival in all of New York, honors the life and legacy of South Huntington Varsity Wrestling Coach Vin Altebrando who was kind, compassionate, and extremely generous. Coach Altebrando had first come up with the idea to hold an outdoor wrestling tournament at the high school, and we are fortunate to host this event year after year in his memory and to carry on his legacy. Thank you to our Wildcat Booster Club and parent volunteers for taking the time to make the event so special! Thank you to our grounds, maintenance and IT department for all of their behind the scenes work to make the day run so smoothly! Special shout out to Coach Cardella and the wrestling staff for all they did to coordinate the day.
 
 
 
 
 
 
All four of Vin's daughters and his wife Kristie (and a mini Biancamano) at this year's event, passing on the Altebrando legacy for our South Huntington Community that will continue for years to come.
 
 
 
 
(left to right) JV Wrestling Head Coach Jason Mulzoff, Varsity Assistant Coach James Salvaggio, Athletic Director Dave Barth, and Girls Wrestling Coach Angela Biancamano showed their support at the incredible event.
 
 
 
 
Female wrestlers of all ages participated in this year's event.
 
 
 
 
 
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Whitman's turf featured 6 large wrestling mats and 3 smalls mats to include youth match-ups.
 
 
 
 
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Whitman wrestlers took to the mats after weigh-in on the sunny afternoon.
 
 
 
 
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Coach Chris Cardella was on the youth mats coaching his son Dominick who took the win in multiple matches.
 
 
 
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It was a great day to wrestle for a good cause!
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