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Who We Are

Our Mission

Team Tugman strives to develop well-trained and highly skilled athletes who become champions both on and off the mat. 

We believe that young athletes can become proficient wrestlers if they work hard and develop a desire for greatness. By joining Team Tugman, girls and boys from kindergarten through high school will be provided with the opportunity to learn the sport of wrestling properly. Through the development of match skills, mental toughness, and wrestling savvy, they’ll gain the confidence necessary to take on any opponent. 

Benefits of Team Tugman

Coach Tugman has over 30yrs. of wrestling experience, and continues to train himself. We are a USA Wrestling Sanctioned Club. (Members are able to register and compete in USA wrestling tournaments).

Team Tugman has a great assistant coaching staff at each practice to help interact with the wrestlers. Extremely affordable. Runs year round.

Freestyle is taught once a week in the off-season. Coach Tugman personally attends all tournaments with his wrestlers, both in and out of state. He encourages his wrestlers to get out of CT and compete on a regular basis.

Each practice is filled with a wide variety of state caliber wrestlers which will provide your son/daughter with great work out partners! Private lessons are available for those interested in a more personalized technique sessions. Reviewing of match film is also available. Team Tugman members are encouraged to film their matches in order for them to be reviewed by coach Tugman.

(Film review of matches is an excellent tool for wrestlers to learn what they need improvement on.)

Best Wrestling Coach In CT

Coach Tugman

  • Over 30 years of wrestling experience
  • Head Coach Hamden Hall Country Day School 2017-2019
  • Assistant Coach Wesleyan University 2012-2016
  • Head Coach Daniel Hand High School 2010-2011(25-1, SCC Group A Champions, SCC Tournament 2nd, Class L State 2nd, State Open 2nd, New England Championship 3rd)
  • Wrestled DI at Lock Haven University
  • AAU Freestyle Grand National Champion(2001)
  • 4X NJ Freestyle High School State Champion
  • 3X NJ Scholastic High School State Place Finisher
  • 4X NJ Scholastic High School Region Place Finisher
  • 1X NJ Scholastic High School Region Champion
  • 4X NJ Scholastic High School District Champion

Mixed Martial Arts Experience

  • Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Black Belt under (Marcelo Garcia Affliliate)
  • Represented USA in the 2007 Abu Dhabi World Grappling Championships
  • 10 year Professional MMA Fighter
  • 18 Professional MMA Fights
  • 8X Bellator MMA Fighting Championships Veteran
  • 2X Nationally Televised Professional MMA fights (Bellator Fighting Championships and BODOG Fighting Championships)
  • Professional MMA Organizations Fought for include Bellator Fighting Championships, BODOG Fighting Championships, CES MMA, Extreme Challenge MMA, Cage Fury Fighting Championships
  • AMMO Grappling Championships 1st Ever Absolute Division Champion
  • Multiple Time NAGA Grappling Championships Place Finisher

Combat Sports Coaching/Training

  • Trained multiple times with Team Alpha Male (California)
  • Trained with multiple UFC Champions and contenders (TJ Dillashaw, Cody Garbrant, Uriah Faber, Gregor Gillispie, Chad Mendes, Anthony Benavides, Duane Ludwig, Martin Kampmann.
  • Trained multiple times with IBJJF World Grappling Champions at Marcelo Garcia Academy, NYC
  • Trained with Marcelo Garcia, John Danaher, Gianni Grippo, Mansher Khera, Vitor Shaolin
  • Have coached several NCAA, HS and youth Wrestling National Champions and All-American
  • Cornered numerous amateur and professional MMA fighters and grapplers

Certifications and Memberships

Game Face Certified Sales Executive Game Face, Inc., Portland, OR. June 2005. Completed a comprehensive sales training program at Game Face Executive Academy, including:
  • 40 classroom hours in the Game Face Sales Training Camp
  • Live sales calls representing Game Face’s national accounts
  • Mini-plan account management
  • Customer service
  • Lead generation and organization
  • Daily supervision and evaluation of sales techniques and strategies
  • NCEP Copper and Bronze level USA wrestling coaching certified

Want to try us out? Drop-In to one of our Classes: