Bitetto Trained Wrestling Club
Bitetto Trained Wrestling Club (BTWC)
Welcome to Bitetto Trained
Where Champions Are Forged In Fire
Bitetto Trained is the ultimate destination for wrestlers who want to take their skills to the next level.
Our training programs are designed to help you be the best wrestler, with personalized coaching and a welcoming atmosphere.
Join us today and become a part of the Bitetto Trained family!
Class Schedule
Bitetto Trained Wrestling Club (BTWC) Weekly Offerings
If you're a parent and have questions about which class your athlete should be in, feel free to reach out—we're happy to help.
To register, simply click on "Registration" below or select a class directly from our calendar. You’ll be redirected to WrestlingIQ to complete the sign-up process.
Future Stars (M/W) 5:45 - 7 p.m.
It's hard to break bad habits in wrestling. The legendary Coach Butch will put your wrestler on the right path from day one.
Iron Sharpens Iron (T/TH) 7:15 - 9 p.m.
Release your athlete's inner warrior. Every Iron Sharpens Iron Class is designed to push athletes to their limits while turning their raw talent into refined strength. This is where our athletes rise to the challenge.Wimps need not apply. Parents coaching from off the mat should stay home. Members pay a reduced rate.
Middle School Advanced (M/W) 7:15-8:45 p.m.
Time to perfect those fundamentals and take the next step in your athlete's progression with precision training. Elevate your athlete's game with advanced techniques and wrestling strategy. Build stamina through rigorous strength training, sharpen your reflexes and create a warrior mindset.
High School Elite (M/W) 7:15-8:45
There's only one way to survive a high school season: putting in the extra work and time at the club. This class teaches wrestlers how to stay focused, manage stress, and maintain a positive attitude during grueling competitions. It focuses on repeatedly drilling specific techniques to engrain muscle memory and improve execution under pressure.
Dual Teams
The Dual Team experience plays a vital role in wrestling. We firmly believe that it is essential for these athletes to travel together and understand the importance of the team aspect of this sport. As competition increases, wrestlers learn to take accountability for their growth while learning from coaches in match situations. *We do not seek financial profit from dual events. We ask that everyone pay their share of the team cost.
Personal Training/Private Lessons
Each coach is available for personal training sessions, which can range from one-on-one to small groups. The coach determines the prices and availability.
CLass registration
Find Your Path
Bitetto Trained offers classes Monday through Thursday and clinics on Sunday. Privates are available seven days a week at the coach's availability. Attendance is mandatory at Bitetto Trained. Feel free to speak to the coaches about the level for your athlete. All wrestlers and parents are to use the WrestlingIQ App and website. One trial class is available to every athlete, but it cannot be used for Iron Sharpens Iron classes.
Future Stars
Practice M/W 5:45 - 7 p.m.
150 Union Ave., East Rutherford (Strong and Shapely Gym)
Open to grade K through fifth or beginner level
$150 per month, $25 Drop In
You will be redirected to WrestlingIQ to register.
Middle School Advanced
Practice M/W 7: 15 -8:45 p.m.
150 Union Ave., East Rutherford (Strong and Shapely Gym)
Open to grade sixth through eighth or Intermediate Level
$200 per month, $30 Drop In
You will be redirected to WrestlingIQ to register.
High School Elite
Practice M/W 7:15 to 8:45 p.m.
150 Union Ave., East Rutherford (Strong and Shapely Gym)
Open to HS/College wrestlers
$200 per month, $30 Drop In
You will be redirected to WrestlingIQ to register.
Iron Sharpens Iron
Practice Tue/Thur 7:15-9 p.m..
150 Union Ave., East Rutherford (Strong and Shapely Gym)
Open to third grade and above and Intermediate Level
$20 per member, $30 Drop In
You will be redirected to WrestlingIQ to register.
Staff
Meet our coaches
Coach 1
Head Coach
Coach 1 Bio
Coach 2
Assistant Coach
Coach 2 Bio
Coach 3
Assistant Coach
Coach 3 Bio
Coach 4
Assistant Coach
Coach 4 Bio
Coach 5
Assistant Coach
Coach 5 Bio
Coach 6
Assistant Coach
Coach 6 Bio
Coaching Staff
Meet The Coaches of Bitetto Trained
The BitettoTrained coaching staff believes in a systematic approach and family-oriented wrestling style. At BTWC, all wrestlers in the club are treated as one. All levels of our wrestling program will utilize this same system. The techniques and skill development you gain as part of our club will be vital tools in preparing your wrestler to become the champion they are!
Rich Bitetto
Head Coach
Rich Bitetto graduated from Hackensack High School in 1996. During his high school tenure, he compiled over 110 wins. He was a four-time state qualifier and won the 1996 State Championships. He was voted to the Region 2 Hall of Fame, the Bergen Record's All-Century Team, and the BCCA's Hall of Fame. In 2004, Rich created the Bitetto Trained Wrestling Club, which started in his parents’ garage. Beginning as a small group private coaching session, Rich built Bitetto Trained to become one of the premier wrestling clubs in New Jersey.
Rich has served as a 2X Cadet Freestyle USA World coach.
Chris Bitetto
Head Coach
Chris Bitetto graduated from Hackensack High School in 2001. During his high school tenure, he compiled over 130 wins. He was a four-time state medalist, a three-time state finalist, and a 1999 State Champion. He was voted to the Bergen Records All-Century Team and BCCA's Hall of Fame.
After graduating from high school, Chris attended the University of Northern Iowa, where he received a degree in physical education. Chris was a three-time NCAA qualifier and a Western Regional Conference Champion.
Chris was an assistant coach at Bergen Catholic for three seasons before taking the head coaching position at Don Bosco Prep, where he coached for six seasons. While at both schools, he coached seven state champions, ten state finalists, and over forty state place finishers.
Butch Bitetto
Head Coach
Butch has over 30 years of coaching experience, primarily with youth-level wrestling. In 1985, he started the Hackensack Youth Wrestling Team and was one of the pioneers of the Twin County League. He coached the Jr. Comets for 25 years before becoming an assistant wrestling coach at Don Bosco Prep under his son Chris. At Hackensack Youth alone, Butch coached over 20 individual state championships and over 75 state place-finishers. He was also a coach with Team NJ, where he took the team on the Indiana Schoolboy trip for the first time and took a team to the World Team Trials. In 2010, he joined the Don Bosco Prep coaching staff and started to build the program into a national powerhouse. Butch was in the corner coaching Razohnn Gross, Don Bosco's first state champion, He helped mentor the young coaching staff and wrestlers to accomplish six state champions and over 30 state place finishers.
Robert Howard
Assistant Coach
Robbie Howard wrestled all four years of high school at Bergen Catholic, winning the state championship two times and being a four-time N.J. state finalist. A team captain, he recorded 133 career wins. His success on the mat extended to the national level, where he claimed a title at the prestigious Super 32 tournament and secured a Fargo national championship, cementing his reputation as one of the country’s top lightweights. He was a three-time Cadet World team member and 2018 Youth Olympic Team member.
At Penn State, Howard continued to showcase his elite talent, earning a starting spot at 125 pounds as a true freshman and qualifying at 125 lbs. in the NCAA tournament in 2021.
Joe Cangro
Assistant Coach
Joseph Cangro is currently a collegiate wrestler for the Harvard Crimson. He competed at the Journeymen Classic, Keystone Classic, Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, and Midlands Tournament.
In high school, he won the 138-lb. NJ state championship for Bergen Catholic in 2022 after taking two bronzes and one silver in the prior three years. He left the Crusaders recruited as the No. 14 wrestler in the nation at 141 lbs.
Will Grater
Assistant Coach
Will Grater was a collegiate wrestler for the Central Michigan Chippewas.
A native of Saddle Brook, Grater graduated from Bergen Catholic and was a state finalist at 138 lbs. at the NJ state championships in 2020. He found himself on the podium the two years prior at 120 lbs. and 132 lbs., placing eighth.
In 2020, he was the Region 2 champion at 138 lbs.
Shawn Tripoli
Assistant Coach
Shawn Tripoli was a NJ state finalist at 152 lbs. while representing Buena in 1990. He was a three-time District 31 champion, a two-time Region 8 finalist and a 1990 Regional 8 champion. He was named All-Cape Atlantic League and All South Jersey among numerous awards.
Tripoli was not denied state gold though, as he captured the 1990 Freestyle state championship at 152 lbs.
Chris Tiernan
Assistant Coach
Chris Tiernan started as an assistant coach with the Fair Lawn Junior wrestling program. As head coach, he built a powerhouse team in the Twin County Wrestling League and the USAW-NJ.
In 2006, he opened Celtic Wrestling, becoming one of the well-known clubs in North Jersey. There he coached many district, regional and state place winners. Tiernan joined the coaching staff for Don Bosco under head coach Chris Bitetto. He helped coach the Ironmen team to be one of the best in the state.
During that time, Tiernan also helped coach and cornered Don Bosco heavyweight Eric Chakonis to his first NJISSA State Championship title.
In 2019, he joined the Bitetto Trained staff. He is also an assistant coach at Saint Mary High School in East Rutherford.
Merchandise
Order all merchandise through this Google form. Mike will email you about payment.
https://forms.gle/mSrnUQBfSRABDcTg8
History
In 1992, Frank “Butch” Bitetto converted his two-car garage into a wrestling room for his sons and other Hackensack children so they could have a place to train. Nicknamed the "Magic Room," it was home to some of the most notable names in NJ wrestling. It was also where Bitetto Trained Wrestling started. Wrestlers from Hackensack requested workouts with Butch at the garage. The idea of youth training in the garage expanded beyond Butch. He brought in Coach Pete Gonzalez to train his sons and other wrestlers in the area. This led to Rich Bitetto starting Bitetto Trained School of Wrestling in 2003. His clientele expanded, and they had to move the location to a gym in Teterboro and then to East Rutherford.
Parking
Parking can be challenging as the lot is usually full due to the neighboring restaurant construction. There is plenty of parking on Van Winkle Street or in the Riggins Field parking lot at the corner of Union Avenue and Hackensack Street.
Social Media
Follow us on Instagram at @BitettoTrained and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BitettoTrained/
Sunday Clinics
The Bitetto Trained Wrestling Club Sunday 2-Hour Clinic offers a focused, high-level training experience designed to sharpen advanced technique and expand on series development. Each week features a new topic, allowing wrestlers to dive deep into specific areas of the sport, from takedown chains to mat transitions and match strategy. Led by experienced coaches, these clinics are ideal for athletes looking to elevate their skills beyond standard practice. Open to all committed wrestlers, the clinic provides individualized attention in a competitive environment. Monthly members enjoy a discounted rate for each session.
Photo Gallery
