Framingham hires Erik Delehanty as new wrestling coach - MetroWest Daily News
Nov 29, 2018He coached a team to a state championship when he was down in Connecticut, he was a perfect fit.” FRAMINGHAM – Framingham High School's new head wrestling coach isn't new at all.Erik Delehanty, who was hired Friday, has been with the program for the last five years as an assistant under longtime Flyers coach Jon Kanavich, who recently stepped down for family reasons, according to Framingham Athletic Director Paul Spear.“Delehanty has been involved as an assistant coach for five years,” Spear said. “He coached a team to a state championship when he was down in Connecticut, he was a perfect fit.”Delehanty coached Daniel Hand High School in Madison, Connecticut to a 2012 state title. That was his first head coaching gig, where he followed another legendary coach, Dave D’Alissio, who first showed him the ropes on what it means to be a head coach.“He really showed me how to deal with and coach kids,” Delehanty said.Like he did in Framingham, he started off as an assistant at Daniel Hand, where he learned under D’Alissio. Delehanty used that knowledge to help the Tigers not only to that state title, but a second-place finish at the New England championships.Delehanty brought that championship resume to Framingham High for the 2012-13 wrestling season as an assistant to learn even more under Kanavich, who last led the Flyers to a state title in 2009.“Jon was one of my mentors, just the way that Jon handled the students, the team bar none,” Delehanty said. “When I came on, as a team he really opened right up to me and invited me in with open arms.“The way he works with kids off the mat he really pushes the kids, not just as wrestlers but as students. He isn’t just a coach but a teacher.”Delehanty isn’t daunted by filling the big shoes left by Kanavich. In fact, he embraces the challenge and sees it as an honor, to continue the strong wrestling tradition that Kanavich built.“It’s a huge challenge, for me to replace J...
