A reminder never to quit

New wrestling mat honors coach’s son.

By: Ken Weingartner
   MONROE — As Sal Profaci stood aside the wrestling mat that now bears tribute to his late son, Nicholas, at Monroe Township High School, figuring out a way to beat visiting Freehold Township was foremost on his mind.
   Yet, it wasn’t the only issue he was contemplating prior to the Falcons’ match last week. Winning isn’t the only thing. It cannot be after the way the Profaci family, and the Monroe wrestling program as a whole, was touched by loss when Nick, just 5 years old, died in July 2003 after a 17-month battle with cancer.
   The little boy taught everyone that much. Life isn’t always fair, and the true measure of a man — even when he is too young to be considered adult — is how he handles adversity.
   That was what Mr. Profaci was reflecting upon moments after the community came together Dec. 21 to pay tribute to Nick with the unveiling of the school’s new mat. On the mat is inscribed: "Never quit, never give up. In memory of Nick Profaci." That motto — never quit, never give up — was coined during Nick’s illness and has been the Falcons’ mantra ever since.
   "We want to win, but that’s not the only focus," said Mr. Profaci, who was a standout scholastic and Division I collegiate wrestler. "It’s important that these guys take away from wrestling, values and ethics that will make them better people when they leave here. Things aren’t always going to go your way; it’s how you handle yourself in those situations that are important. That’s what we’re trying to teach, really."
   Nick was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in February 2002. Neuroblastoma is a solid cancerous tumor that begins in nerve tissue in the neck, chest, abdomen or pelvis, but usually originates in the abdomen in the tissues of the adrenal gland. By the time it is diagnosed, the cancer has usually spread, most commonly to the lymph nodes, liver, lungs, bones and bone marrow. Nearly 90 percent of cases are diagnosed by age 5.
   After undergoing surgery to remove a tumor from his abdomen, radiation, chemotherapy, and a bone marrow transplant, Nick was declared "clean" in September 2002. Three months later, however, the cancer returned, which led to additional treatments at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
   Throughout the ordeal, Nick remained positive and attended wrestling practices and matches whenever possible. After his death, Monroe’s wrestlers took it upon themselves to have T-shirts made with the "Never give up, never quit," motto.
   In 2005, Monroe had a school-record six wrestlers advance to the Region 5 Tournament and heavyweight Mike Goff became the Falcons’ first wrestler to win a state-placing match when he finished seventh in the NJSIAA Tournament. Mr. Profaci was named the District 20 Coach of the Year.
   A large number of former wrestlers were in attendance for the mat dedication ceremony and stayed for the Falcons’ match against Freehold. Joining Mr. Profaci were his wife, Francine, 9-year-old son Sal and 1-year-old daughter Sofia.
   "It was nice, sweet," Mr. Profaci said about the ceremony, which was conducted by Allen Rushing, with whom Mr. Profaci shares the duties of head coach. "It’s nice the way people support the program and what we’re trying to accomplish. I’m grateful to everyone, especially all those guys who came back to be a part of this. I’m thankful to the community; it’s all very touching."
   In a perfect world, the young Falcons would have ridden a wave of emotion to victory over Freehold. This, however, is not a perfect world. Monroe wrestled tough, but lost, 44-18.
   "We have a lot of young guys and new wrestlers, and our schedule is very tough," Mr. Profaci said. "We knew coming into this match that we were going to need some luck, and it didn’t happen. It’s only a matter of time before we see improvement. I think we’re going to be good."
   This much is certain — whenever the Falcons need additional inspiration to push hard, to never give up, to never quit, they won’t have to look far to find it.