Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why “Edge”? What distinguishes our program from all the others?
While no other program has our results, or a three decade proven track record that shows our system and methodology work; the primary difference between The Edge and others is our philosophy and the people that stand behind it.
If you truly take the time to compare our program to those of our competitors, you will find there is no place like “The Edge”. We believe there is a value being “mom and pop”, having old school values, loyalty, ethics, integrity and not compromising ourselves or our values for the all mighty dollar. We believe in taking care of the families who take care of us. There should be a mutual commitment and special relationship between coach, athlete and family that contributes to the athletes’ success and overall development as a person. We have never been driven by sales volume, but rather have always pursued excellence and the desire to be the best at what we do. We have always felt that our success in business would come as a result of being the best in our industry. We have never recruited or solicited the business of other programs or their members. We built our program by producing results, by coaching and developing the talent that walks through our door, and by doing right by the people who have supported our program. The Edge prides itself on being a small family run business that welcomes those like minded people, who share the same values and common goals as our wrestling family. The Edge family is rich in tradition and history and it is this sense of family on which we have based our business since 1984.
Upon opening in Whippany we made a conscious decision to keep our wrestling room small enough to deliver the best quality service in the industry. We specifically designed the room to foster growth and development, and to make sure no student can get lost or be overlooked. We ignored the current trend in wrestling to go bigger, and run a factory type high volume business. Instead we opted to do the opposite and return to our roots. While others may measure the success of their program by how many dollars they have in their pocket, we have always measured our success by the quality of the wrestlers we have produced. With that goal in mind, we have elected to invest in devoted coaches who can nurture wrestlers individually, instead of the “factory’ type approach designed to push out large numbers. We wanted to make sure we kept that family type atmosphere, quality service and personal attention we are known for and often gets lost in larger institutions.
We started this industry over 3 decades ago, and as the leader in this field we felt a responsibility to set the standards for this newly emerging industry. The Edge believes in the success of its business through focusing on the growth and development of its student members, while others believe in the success of their business through marketing, sales promotions and recruitment. This difference in philosophy is significant. If you are looking for a wrestling school strong in tradition, that believes in old school values, loyalty, ethics, and integrity, a commitment to excellence and to the families that support our program, then we strongly encourage you to visit The Edge.
2. How long has “The Edge” been in business?
Established in 1984, The Edge School of Wrestling was the first wrestling school of its kind in the United States. We have reached the milestone of being in business for 35 years.
3. What kind of track record do we have?
Our record speaks for itself. We have had Champions in every age group and at every level for over 3 decades. No other similar wrestling program can compare with what “Edge” wrestlers have accomplished. Please see our Honors page for detailed results.
4. What about the coaching staff?
The Edge has been run by Ernie Monaco since it’s inception in 1984. Coach Monaco is still present at almost all Edge classes to this day. The staff has also grown to include Dave Esposito, Ryan Wilson, Alex Almeyda Sr., Jon Becker, Eric Swick, Karl Monaco, Jack Barrett and more. You can find out more information about our coaching staff in the Staff section of our home page.
5. When do classes meet?
Edge students are offered 2 classes per week. Classes are limited in size to maintain an effective teacher to student ratio, quality instruction, and safety standards. Wrestlers with special circumstances concerning class placement should speak directly with someone from our staff so we can work together with parents to do what is best for their child. You can find out more information about our class schedules on the Calendar pages of this website.
Click
here to see our Warren Class Schedule.
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here to see our Hoboken Class Schedule.
6. What does it cost?
The cost of tuition varies depending on the length of the enrollment term. Students have the option to enroll for terms of one month or six months. We accept payment by check, credit card, or cash. Tuition fees are billed monthly, unless tuition is paid in full upfront. You can find out more information regarding our membership options on the Enrollment Options page of this website.
7. What about the distance?
Our student membership is made up of wrestlers from all around the state. Often many of our students car-pool with other people from their area. We would be happy to help you connect with other Edge members who might be from your local area. Being a success in wrestling is about making a commitment, a sacrifice. The sacrifice is made not only on the mat and on the part of the wrestler, but also by the those that support the athlete. We like to think we make it well worth the trip, and if you look at where our members have come from, it's obvious they think so as well.
8. My son isn’t good enough yet. Should we wait until he’s a little better?
No! Do not lose the time he could be using to get better, waiting for him to be so-called ready. Attending “The Edge” is about learning, not competing. It’s about growth and development. We have students in their first year and first day of wrestling and we have students who are state and national champions. The sooner our wrestlers start in our program, the more successful they seem to become.
9. I heard only the good guys get attention. Is that true?
Absolutely not! This is a false statement often made by supporters of other programs to discourage the so-called "average kids" from attending The Edge. Maybe it is a means of others justifying why we have produced so many outstanding kids. We don’t know, but it is a false statement, and couldn’t be anything further from the truth.
10. Have Edge wrestlers been given college scholarships?
Yes! More Edge wrestlers have received college scholarships for wrestling than any other similar wrestling program in the state. College coaches often frequent “The Edge” recruiting students who attend our program. “The Edge” has a national reputation of producing champion college wrestlers. We also have three decades of developing contacts and relationships with college coaches that aid our students in this process. Many former Edge wrestlers are currently coaching on the collegiate level.
