Wrestling Coach Chooljian Piles Up State Titles

PLAISTOW, N.H.—Sometimes, the best coaching talent isn’t found in schools like Alabama and Duke. More often than not, they’re located in small, unnoted schools.

Barry Chooljian
With 496 victories to his credit, Barry Chooljian should reach a coveted milestone before long at Timberlane Regional High School, where he has coached wrestling for 31 years.

Such a coach is Barry Chooljian, who is finishing his 31st year here as coach of Timberlane Regional High School, a small campus in Southern New Hampshire with a whopper of a wrestling program.

This season the Owls have gone 25-0 in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year—their first unbeaten campaign in school history against some of the better programs nationally.

The latest victory represented the 94th consecutive win against New Hampshire opponents, giving Timberlane an astonishing in-state 296-3 record over the past two decades.

Quiet, yet calibrated, Chooljian’s answer to such success could be summed up rather succinctly: “They boys have had a great season.” Nothing more, nothing less.

The 25th victory was classic Chooljian. His team was trailing 21-13 before storming back to take six of the last seven matches.

A 15th consecutive Division 1 state championship would cap the perfect season. That would make 20 divisional titles in the last 21 years and last 10 Meet of Champions.

Under Chooljian’s direction, Timberlane has a record of 10 New England titles, including a record of five in a row. Four other times, the school finished second while sending numerous kids to Division 1 wrestling schools in college.

Among them would be 2-time All-American Eric (Fundeklian) Bradley who arrived at Penn State on scholarship.

“We believe in all our kids,” he points out. “All my athletes define success differently. For some, it’s to become an All-American. Others are happy just to be involved as part of the team. We value every athlete no matter how proficient they may be. School sports are a great way to build self-esteem and confidence. You get them believing in themselves and it transmits to our program.”

There’s no better role model than a coach who works out with his athletes, stays on top of his game, teaches at the same school, and sacrifices his own time to benefit others.

Much of his success comes from a middle school program run by alumni. The feeder system begins in the 6th grade and carries through. A former wrestler also runs an off-season club from his home.

Four years ago, Chooljian was selected as the National High School Coaching Association’s Wrestling Coach of the Year. A month later, he was accorded similar honors by the National Federation High School Coaches Association.

If that doesn’t suffice, add the National Wrestling Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year and the fact that he was named USA Wrestling’s New Hampshire Man of the Year.

No other coach on his level can boast of such a resume. As to his Armenian heritage, Chooljian presents every opportunity to promote it, thanks to his dad who has inculcated the spirit.

“Three decades later, I still look forward to coaching every day,” he maintains. “I believe in helping young men with their growth and development. Wrestling provides me with a great vehicle for that.”

As to the future, Chooljian has no plans to retire so long as the spirit is willing. In his spare time, he enjoys a good workout and a round of golf.

“It only gets better with time,” he quips. “Every day represents a new challenge for me—and that’s the way I like it.”

Tom Vartabedian

Tom Vartabedian

Tom Vartabedian is a retired journalist with the Haverhill Gazette, where he spent 40 years as an award-winning writer and photographer. He has volunteered his services for the past 46 years as a columnist and correspondent with the Armenian Weekly, where his pet project was the publication of a special issue of the AYF Olympics each September.
Tom Vartabedian

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