By Andy Loigu

Former Hackettstown High School wrestler Trevor Vernon is now working as a research scientist at the Bristol – Myers Squibb facilities in the Princeton area. In 2007 he graduated from Roger Williams University, where he wrestled at the next level, and is a licensed and certified laboratory technologist.

He recently earned a promotion, as he enabled the firm’s research and development to meet its goals in support of their mission to extend and enhance human life through the discovery and development of new therapeutics.

The oldest of three brothers who earned numerous awards and accolades as Hackettstown High School varsity wrestlers, Vernon has been helping the next generation of Tigers as a youth wrestling coach since 2013. His own wrestling story began as a five-year old and his brothers Cory and Owen followed in his footsteps, also going on to compete in college.

In a recent online conversation, Vernon related that he played several sports, but the relationships he’s developed with other wrestling families in the Hackettstown community have become “a brotherhood of suffering together” through workouts in the gym, on the mats, and strict dieting, 24/7, to make and maintain a desired weight. “Wrestlers share a badge of courage that lasts a lifetime,” he said.

He praised the brother tandems of the Ulm, Tjong, Morris, Swanson, and Snover families, who elevated Hackettstown into a program which won district and regional championships and was the Group 2 runner up in 2007 at the team state championships in Toms River.

Looking back, when asked about the level of “burn out” which has been problematic in the sport of wrestling, hurting college teams in particular, he noted the bonds wrestlers build with each other are special, which made him determined not to let his teammates down when the going got tough. “Just about every year I needed to dig deep and find the motivation to be all in,” he remembered.

“What got me through 17 years of competing was my teammates,” he continued.

“Quitting is something that crosses the mind of any wrestler at some point in their career. It really is such a grueling and demanding sport. And the work and sacrifices it takes to be successful can be a lot for wrestlers of any age,” he observed.

This columnist was a middle school wrestler, but when I had a growth spurt that made me a foot taller and I showed up at high school the first day of my freshman year standing at 6-4, the basketball coach persuaded me to make hoops my winter sport. Still, I have maintained a heartfelt respect for the sport of wrestling, because the athletes compete against opponents who are the same size. The goal is to control your opponent without hurting him and the sportsmanship I’ve seen in wrestling in this area has been commendable, particularly because the competition is so fierce.

Trevor Vernon is one of many local wrestlers who applied themselves seriously at academics in college and has gone on to be successful and community minded in adult life.

Now another local scholastic wrestling season is about to commence. New names replace the old, but the sport remains compelling, and many of the wrestlers we will watch had an older brother who showed them the way.

…..Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.