This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
02/05/2020 11:00 PMFabricio Bugatti is in the midst of a successful senior season with the East Haven wrestling team. Not only does Fabricio have a record of 21-5, which includes a first-place finish at the CJ McCormack Tournament, he’s also doing an excellent job of leading the Yellowjackets in his second year as a captain.
Fabricio was initially named a captain during his junior season. When the team voted again prior to current campaign, Fabricio got the nod to serve as a captain for the second-straight year.
“It felt really good having people want me as their captain,” says Fabricio. “As a senior captain, I’m trying to be a good role model for the younger kids and teaching them all I know to leave them with the wrestling knowledge I have.”
Head Coach Mark Tolla has seen Fabricio’s hard work firsthand throughout the past few seasons. Tolla says that Fabricio is a versatile member of his lineup who brings many positive traits to the captain’s chair.
“Fabricio is an excellent role model for the rest of the wrestlers on the team and is among the hardest workers in the room,” Tolla says. “He’s not a real vocal kid, but demonstrates leadership every day by the things he does. Fabricio will work with any kid in the room, is a pretty selfless individual, and an overall outstanding young man.”
While Fabricio was happy to be selected as a captain last year, his season came to an abrupt end when he suffered a broken hand during a match in the SCC Championship. However, Fabricio continued strength training, focusing on cardio and his legs, while his hand healed. He also got in some offseason workouts at Team Tugman in Branford.
By the springtime, Fabricio’s hand had healed enough that he decided to give tennis a try. Fabricio went into the season without any experience, but managed to work his way into the varsity lineup by the end of the campaign.
“In my last match of the season at No. 1 doubles, we won, and it was my best match ever,” Fabricio says. “With tennis, I just have a ton of fun with a bunch of good people and try to get better along the way. For me, wrestling is more serious.”
After his injury took him out of postseason competition as a junior, Fabricio has high hopes for his senior year. Fabricio’s goal is to place in the 160-pound division at the Class M State Championship and qualify for the State Open. Fabricio and his teammates are also looking for the Yellowjackets to better last year’s record of 20-5. The squad is currently sporting a mark of 17-5 heading into the home stretch of the regular season.
Fabricio admits that it’s “kind of sad” that this winter marks his final season as a wrestler at East Haven. Fabricio has been wrestling since the 5th grade, when he would join his brother Amadeo at practice at Joseph Melillo Middle School. The brothers competed on the same team for one year in middle school and for two years at the high school.
“It was more like a rivalry, because I wanted to beat him, but he would always kick my butt,” says Fabricio says of his brother. “Wrestling with him definitely made better.”
In addition to his brother, Fabricio feels grateful to his parents, Alejandro and Sonia, along with Coach Tolla and assistant coach Lou Rivellini, for their support.
“Coach Tolla was a big inspiration for me, and seeing his admiration for the sport helped me like it more than I did,” Fabricio says. “Coach Riv was my first coach and the one who inspired me to wrestle. My parents really pushed me to keep going, and that helped a lot.”
With only a few weeks left in his high school career, Fabricio is focused on helping East Haven finish with another excellent record, while working his way toward his postseason goals. Fabricio isn’t planning on wrestling on college, but would consider it if the opportunity came up. Even though he will be graduating from East Haven, Fabricio hopes that this won’t be his last season on the mat.
“This year, I’ve had some of my best accomplishments and beaten some good kids,” says Fabricio. “I know I’m going to miss it. I’ve had so much fun. I’d like to come back and coach, teaching the younger kids. I find it fun and just enjoy being around the sport.”