A second fundraiser for Palisades High wrestling coach Randy Aguirre will be held Saturday, September 6, at 8 p.m. at The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club on the Universal CityWalk.
Aguirre recently underwent six weeks of treatment for glioblastoma, a grade IV brain tumor, and assistant coach Aldo Juliano hopes the “Cure the Coach” encore will raise even more money than the first one August 8. As of Tuesday, over $3,100 had been raised on Aguirre’s behalf and the goal is $20,000 by Sept. 6 for the 29-year-old who started the Pali High program in 2011 and guided the Dolphins to the City Section’s inaugural dual championship in February.
Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
“Last week we had a benefit for Randy, who is fighting cancer, and we had a blast,” said Juliano, who performed on the show along with several fellow comedians, including John DiResta and Paul Revere Middle School wrestling coach Adam Hunter. “We raised some good money for Randy and it went really well. So we’re going to have another one to help Randy get all the things he needs in this process. We all know how tough Randy is and we’re all feeling very positive he’ll win this battle, just like in his matches!”
Juliano is running the program until Aguirre returns and believes the Dolphins are City title contenders.
“We have a killer team and we’re going to try to win not only regionals but the City,” he said. “I’d like to take at least five or six guys to the state meet and I know Randy’s gearing up and getting ready to come back and hopefully take them to state as well. We have high, high hopes for this year.”
Aguirre has motivated several team members to increase their level of commitment, none moreso than senior 106-pounder Erik Miranda, who won the Iron Man Award, given to the wrestler with the most matches last season.
“It was great for the whole team to come out – even the guys from football – and it really brought the team together,” Miranda said. “Seeing Randy and his family really motivated us to do even better this coming season. He’s been more like a brother than a coach. I quit on him my freshman year but he kept telling me to do wrestling because I have a real shot in it, so I came back my sophomore year, it’s been nonstop training and I even quit football this year to concentrate on wrestling.”
Miranda said the team goal is to hang a City championship banner in the gym. The Dolphins finished fourth last year.
“Wrestling doesn’t have one and I feel like this is our best chance,” he said. “We have 13 of our 14 varsity starters coming back, so why not? If we work hard and put everything we have into it, we should come out on top.”
The wrestling team practices every day in the wrestling room on campus and Juliano also accompanies many of them to night workouts at Santa Monica High.
To make a donation, visit the Pali High wrestling Facebook page or email support@fundrazr.com.
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