Justin Morrisey: “I would say that he taught me how to set a good example for my peers and stay disciplined both on and off the mat. He taught me how to handle my losses and my wins. Even if they were really hard losses or huge wins, [he taught me that] it’s really important to control your emotions.”

Nick Rossi: “He’s influenced me a lot. He is very old school and really taught my teammates and I how hard work leads to success. He really affected me by showing me it doesn’t matter who I go against and how it’s me against me. No matter if it was a kid ranked in the state or someone with a losing record Coach Ortiz taught me to focus on myself and how I can work on what I can control. Outside of wrestling Coach Ortiz taught me that I can only control what I can control and I think that that is going to stick with me the rest of my life.”

Johnny Rotolo: “Something coach Ortiz taught me was that goals don’t come easy, you gotta work extremely hard for them and put in the work.”

Jack Drucker: “Coach Ortiz taught me the significance of perseverance and resilience. In wrestling, as in life, there are moments when things don’t go as planned, and it’s easy to feel defeated. However, Coach Ortiz always reminded us that setbacks are just opportunities to learn and grow stronger. His unwavering belief in pushing through challenges and never giving up has profoundly shaped my approach to both sports and everyday life. This lesson of resilience is something I will carry with me forever, continually reminding me to face obstacles head-on and keep striving for my goals.”

Daniel Olivo: “Coach Ortiz has taught me that in life truly being supportive is what matters most, it’s what really counts and that is what Coach Ortiz has taught me, to always be there for you no matter the circumstances.”

Ryan Sullivan: “As a wrestler Ortiz instilled in me that anything can be accomplished through hard work and dedication. Coming into high school wrestling, I had never taken wrestling too seriously but after my freshman season I discovered a new love for wrestling. Ortiz’s lessons of hard work helped me work on my wrestling in the offseason and when I came back I was beating kids who had been wrestling for many years and where much more talented and I attribute that to Ortiz’s lessons that with the right mindset you can accomplish anything.”

Tim Lee: “No matter what you’re doing, do it with intention. Don’t just go through the motions, use every single second to get better, and always try to get one more rep in.”

Nick Rotolo: “Ortiz taught me that nothing in life is going to be given and nothing will be easy. You must put your head down and work to get better.”

Jack Horgan: “Ortiz always pushed me to be the best on and off the mat. I don’t know when, but I realized that he just wants us to be the best of the best in life and wrestling. Coach always knew how to push someone the right way or crack a joke and keep it light but intense. I think one of the best things is when his kids would come to practice because he wanted them to get extra work and it seemed like they wanted to be there because he instilled that into them and that’s the type of guy he is. He also is a coach who puts the athletes first and is very selfless. On the Mat he has a standard that has to be met and this is great for future life because jobs will have difficulties and life will and he prepares you for that. He will let you know if you don’t meet it or don’t get the most out of yourself but he’s also the first to let you know and share the excitement.”

Kate Machleder: “Coach Ortiz helped me mentally through an injury. Junior year I went through shoulder surgery from a wrestling injury. I was dying to come back to my sport and finish out my wrestling career. Coach Ortiz assured me that I could and he helped me through the whole process. We set new goals, got through the season, and I was able to finish my senior season as a wrestler for NVOT. He is a very supportive and caring coach who has a relationship with every one of his wrestlers no matter the skill level. He takes the program and everyone’s individual goals into mind when making decisions which is what I believe a good coach should do.”

Zeid Alasad: “Wrestling was more than just a sport to me–it taught me both physical and mental endurance. The tough practices, grueling conditionings, and pushing my body past its limits gave me this kind of strength that I never thought I had. It also taught me resilience, learning from my mistakes and improving from them, it also taught me to stay focused on my goals and achieving them. Wrestling was a big part of my life and something that I will never forget about, I would like to thank Coach Ortiz and all my other coaches for this amazing journey.”

Pierce Kupprion: “I would say Coach Ortiz taught me to be confident, calm, and collected in stressful situations. He taught me how important it is to try to move on from a bad experience and to not internalize it past that moment. Most of all he gave me a life experience I’ll never forget.”

James Lorenzo: “Coach Ortiz taught me that anything you want needs to be earned through hard work, there are no shortcuts. Hard work can beat natural talent and that’s what separates being good from being great. Also to seize every opportunity given to you.”

Jack Malesardi: “Something he taught me was that if you’re gonna do something you should do it at 100% you know like if you came in to practice then you should put all your effort into the practice because that’s literally what you came in for.”

Daniel O’Sullivan: “One thing that Coach Ortiz has taught me that will stick with me for the rest of my life is how important it is to be confident in your abilities. He taught me that no matter what challenge you go up against, whether it be a better opponent than you or any obstacle in life that you have to believe you’re above it, and even if you end up losing you will do a lot better than if you just accept a loss from the start.”