By Krystle J Bailey
Nick and Vinny Faldetta of Egg Harbor Township bring “double the fun,” double the grit and double the grind to everything they do. The hard-working, 17-year-old twins have always done everything together, especially sports. They played on the same youth soccer, baseball, and football teams side-by-side as young kids, eventually finding their way to the wrestling mat at the age of seven.
All other sports slowly became a distant memory when the boys began training with Jimmy Garrett of Orchard South Wrestling Club. After one year of wrestling at Orchard, something began to shift within the twins, as wrestling became their primary focus.
“Before wrestling, everything we did was a team sport. As a wrestler, everything is on you. That makes you work harder, and I was seeing myself start to get better,” shares Nick Faldetta.
“It was just exciting every time we showed up to practice. We felt differently wrestling with Jimmy than other people. It wasn’t just wrestling; we were having fun,” adds Vinny.
By the time the duo reached high school, they were ready to compete at the next level. As freshmen, they both placed 4th in their district. Now, coming off a complicated Covid season as juniors, Nick and Vinny came to win. They set their eyes on the prize and got to work on the mat.
“This was a vengeful season after the one we didn’t have last year. I had ten matches total last year. I came back hungry,” shares Nick, who wrestled at 144lbs this year.
“It was an energy-filled season. The whole season, I was preparing and constantly adjusting, fixing mistakes, and preparing. I had it in my mind what I was doing, where I was going, and what I was getting to,” adds Vinny at 138lbs.
As District 32 wrestling came to a close, Nick and Vinny both took the podium, finishing in 2nd and 3rd places, respectively. They were on their way to Region 8 wrestling at Egg Harbor Township High School, checking off the goal they set at the beginning of the year.
“Over the years, they’ve always been under the radar, the underdog,” explains the twins’ mom, Stephanie Faldetta. “But they were silently working all year-round with Jimmy.”
Nick and Vinny left it all on the mat at regions, ultimately finishing in 7th out of 8 in their respective weight classes. Nick finished his season with a 26-13 record, while Vinny finished at 26-14.
“I’m proud of the twins,” states coach Jimmy Garrett. “I like the fact that they stayed the course. They didn’t club hop. They’re a product of planting the seed and letting it grow. These were kids that everyone counted out. The same twins that were written off at one point are winning. That makes me proud more than anything.”
Nick and Vinny took a moment to celebrate their accomplishments this season but already have their eyes set on their senior year. With plans to continue their training throughout the summer, the boys are laser-focused on wrestling at the state level in 2023.
Over the years, the discipline learned on the wrestling mat has expanded into Nick and Vinny’s personal lives. The twins are dedicated to their education, both work year-round jobs and continue to prepare for their future in wrestling.
“This sport changes the way you think and the way you act. The discipline transcends into other areas of your life,” shares Nick Faldetta.
“Some kids have good grades; some kids are athletic. Mine are both, and they maintain a job all year while wrestling six days per week. I’m really proud of them,” says Stephanie Faldetta, who the boys refer to as their “screaming supporter.”
“Our mom takes us to everything. She’s our biggest fan. No matter how far it is or how much it costs, she writes us down for every tournament,” shares Vinny about his mom.
College scouts have been visiting the Faldetta twins, but decisions have yet to be made. When asked if they would prefer to stay together, both Nick and Vinny agree that given the choice, they’d prefer to keep doing the “twin thing” side by side. However, they are open to what the future holds. For now, they will continue to give it all they’ve got on the mat and in life.
Krystle J Bailey. Multimedia journalist, Author, Poet.
Connect with Krystle on Instagram @thedailybailey5
