Aguirre Inspires Pali High Wrestling Team

Pali High assistant coach Aldo Juliano talks about the “Cure the Coach” show.

Pali High wrestler Erik Miranda shares his feelings about Coach Randy Aguirre.

Motivation comes in many forms and for the Palisades High wrestling team, it is personal. Despite finishing fourth at the City Section Championships in February, the Palisades High wrestling team has adopted a new rallying cry: “Let’s hang a banner for Coach.”

Assistant coach Aldo Juliano is overseeing team practices until head coach Randy Aguirre returns. The 29-year-old Aguirre is battling glioblastoma, a Grade IV brain tumor, and recently underwent six weeks of treatment. Aguirre piloted the Dolphins to the City Section’s first dual championship in February.

A “Cure the Coach” fundraiser August 8 raised over $1,100 and Juliano is organizing a second fundraiser to be held Saturday, Sept. 6, at The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club in Universal City. The Pali High wrestling program is trying to raise $20,000 for Aguirre’s medical costs.

“We had a great time, we sold it out, we had some great comics donate their time and we raised some good money for Randy,” Juliano said. “We’re going to have another fundraiser for Randy to help him get all the things he needs in this process. In the meantime, we have a killer team and our goal is to win regionals, win City and take five or six guys to the state tournament.”

Pali High senior Erik Miranda, who won the regional title and took fourth place in the 106-pound division at the City finals meet, claimed Aguirre is more like a brother than a coach.

“Randy has done a lot for me and kept encouraging me to wrestle even after I quit on him my freshman year,” Miranda said. “He’s gotten me to train nonstop. I gave up football and this is our best chance to put a banner up in the gym. We have 13 varsity starters coming back so why not? If we put everything we have into it, we should come out on top.”

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— Steve Galluzzo