Spoke with Dad's 1976 Olympic Coach: Orlando Lacovello

Orlando Iacovelli won Section

IV wrestling championships in 1957,

1958, and 1959. In his junior and

senior years he was captain of the

wrestling team and undefeated in

competition. Phenomenally, in his

junior season he was not only undefeated,

but also completely unscored

upon. At Ithaca College, Orlando

was undefeated in dual meet competition.

In his junior year he was a

semi-finalist in the Division I national

championships. Orlando was

head wrestling coach at Guelph University

from 1965 through 1986,

winning 13 league championships. He was coach of the Canadian

national wrestling team four times between 1971 and

1983, and was coach of the Canadian Olympic team in 1976.

Orlando returned to Ithaca High and served as head wrestling

coach from 1988 to 1993, producing two individual State

champions. He is a member of the Ithaca College, Guelph

University, Canadian Amateur Wrestling, and Section IV Hall of Fame.

Orlando told me stories about the 1976 Olympic team training camp in Thunder Bay where the athletes trained out doors and stayed in log cabins.  He also told me how he tried to recruit my father to wrestle for him at the University of Guelph, instead dad would turn down his offer and go to Joliet Junior College. 

Dad, taking a break, at the 1976 Olympic Training Camp in Thunder Bay, Ontario