Massachusetts Newest Wrestling Coach Is Coming Home to New Bedford

For Justin Simmons, becoming the new wrestling coach at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School feels a lot like coming home.

The 33-year-old New Bedford native has spent the past 10 years coaching wrestling with the Bristol Aggie-Dighton-Rehoboth co-op program. Now, Simmons will take over a young Voc-Tech wrestling program entering just its second season.

“I was born and raised in New Bedford,” Simmons said. “Now I get to coach for New Bedford. I get to try to give back to a city that I love.”

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Wrestling Became His First Love

Simmons was introduced to wrestling in middle school after his brother's involvement in martial arts helped spark his interest. He also attended a local wrestling camp where New Bedford High School wrestlers worked with younger athletes, and it wasn't long before Simmons was hooked.

After high school, he continued competing through jiu-jitsu and kickboxing. He has now been involved in jiu-jitsu for roughly 15 years, but said grappling has always been his first love.

Greater New Bedford Vocational Technical High School's Newest Wrestling Coach, Justin Simmons

His coaching career began when Bristol Aggie gave him an opportunity at just 22 years old despite having no previous wrestling coaching experience. Simmons said leaving after a decade wasn't easy, but the opportunity at Voc-Tech felt too perfect to pass up. He also already has connections to some of his new wrestlers. Simmons previously coached a youth wrestling program at a New Bedford jiu-jitsu gym, and some of those young athletes are now students wrestling at Voc-Tech.

Building More Than Wrestlers

Wins matter to Simmons, but they aren't the only way he plans to measure success. He believes wrestling can teach young people how to work, handle losses and keep moving forward when things get difficult.

“You learn how to lose, you learn how to take your lumps, you learn how to work hard,” Simmons said. “Wrestlers are some of, if not the hardest workers that I know.”

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Voc-Tech's wrestling program made an impressive first impression last season. Simmons said roughly 70 to 80 students reportedly came out for the team during its first year, giving him plenty of reason to believe the program can continue growing. His message to the team is simple: “Why not us?”

An Open Invitation to Try Wrestling

Simmons also hopes students who have never wrestled before will consider giving the sport a chance. “You don't need experience,” he said. “If you work hard in the practice room, you keep your head down and you just do the things you're told to do, you're going to get better.”

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More than anything, Simmons wants to become the type of coach who is always there for his athletes. For someone whose own wrestling journey started right here in New Bedford, the chance to help build the next generation of local wrestlers is about as full-circle as it gets.