After 37 years, Ponte Vedra High School assistant wrestling coach Rich Maritato plans to retire at the end of the season.
Maritato, 73, also known as “Pop” in the wrestling room, has done a lot for the sport of wrestling in Northeast Florida. He was first exposed to wrestling when he encouraged his sons to pick up the sport in New Jersey, where he raised his family. Then, during his sons’ careers, he went from being a father in the wrestling program to a full-time assistant coach for almost four decades.
Maritato moved to the First Coast in 2004 with his wife Sharon to be close to his family. Over the years, he was an assistant at Nease High School and also at Florida School of the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine. But spent most of his coaching career in Florida at Ponte Vedra High, where both his grandsons, Troy Maritato and Rett Maritato, have wrestled with successful careers.
During his tenure, Maritato has had district champions, state qualifiers, and even a state champion.
Maritato is best known for his old school approach to life and coaching. His toughness, passion, intensity, and bounding energy was well known in the wrestling community.
Ponte Vedra Head Coach Josean Gonzalez said, “Coach Maritato has spent countless hours helping kids achieve their goals on the mat for many years,” Ponte Vedra Head Coach Josean Gonzalez said, “It's hard to imagine Ponte Vedra High School without Pop in the corner. I have spent two solid years working with Coach and I can honestly say, he is one of the most dedicated and hard-working people that I have ever worked with. His dedication to developing young people throughout the years will never be forgotten. He is a father, a grandfather, a husband, a mentor, a coach, a good friend and he is Ponte Vedra wrestling. It has been an honor to be in the same corner as Coach Maritato. I wish him a happy and well-deserved retirement.”
On Saturday, Feb. 22, the Sharks wrestled hard for coaches Gonzalez and Maritato, finishing third at the District Championships.
As the wrestling season comes to an end, Maritato will still be keeping his wrestling shoes laced up tight. He has four more grandsons coming up through the Ponte Vedra program.
