Scotti Sentes Shares Why Wrestlers Make the Best Blue-Collar Hires
For local contractors struggling to find reliable talent, the solution might just be found on the wrestling mat. Scotti Sentes, Executive Director of the Upstate NY-based Wrestlers in Business Network, is leading a massive shift in how student-athletes plan their futures, steering them toward lucrative careers in the skilled trades.
Instead of automatically taking on thousands of dollars in debt for a four-year degree, young athletes are realizing that the discipline forged in their sport translates perfectly to the demands of blue-collar industries.
Bridging the Gap Between the Mat and the Job Site
Operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit under the umbrella of the 98-year-old National Wrestling Coaches Association, the network serves a massive community. The organization handles programming for 16,000 active coaches and 350,000 student wrestlers annually. The overarching goal is to prepare former athletes for life and career opportunities by giving them a direct pipeline to employers.
“We line anyone who’s ever wrestled high school, college, you know, a tenured person up with their next match,” Sentes explained.
Recently, the organization launched an AI-driven career platform that quickly grew from zero to over 14,000 users, with over 750 active resumes currently in the system. The platform matches applicants to employers based on geographical distance, specific training, and certification interests. During a recent virtual career fair, 1,200 athletes logged in to connect with potential employers.
Solving the Retention Problem in the Trades
A recurring issue for trade business owners is not just hiring workers, but keeping them. “It doesn’t matter if it’s blue collar or white collar, whatever it is, it’s not hard to find hires like you can plug the role. It’s just hard to find people that stick,” Sentes said. Wrestling, which demands extreme personal accountability, intense weight management, and resilience in deeply uncomfortable situations, naturally builds the traits employers desperately want. “Wrestlers are built to do tough things,” Sentes noted.
Sentes points out that athletes are highly motivated by clear paths to success. The network partners with companies like 84 Lumber, which offers a management trainee program where new hires spend their first year doing grueling, repetitive physical work on the line before advancing. They also work with Clear Defense, a pest control company that provides internships blending hands-on field spraying with real-world sales experience.
The Gold Rush of 2026
The perception of blue-collar work is shifting rapidly as young people watch the industry lose roughly 2.2 million skilled workers annually. There is a growing awareness that traditional four-year degrees—which can cost upwards of $55,000 a year—are not the only path to a respected, high-earning profession. Sentes highlighted that there are over 70 two-year schools with wrestling programs that also offer trade education, allowing students to earn their certifications in fields like HVAC, carpentry, or electrical work without giving up their sport.
The momentum is so strong that even established Division I college coaches are leaving academia to take lucrative jobs in the roofing industry and other trades. “We call it the gold rush of 2026,” Sentes remarked. Over 2,200 high school juniors and seniors at a recent series of Spartan Fitness Challenge camps explicitly stated they wanted to be contacted by trade companies.
As the skilled labor shortage continues to challenge businesses across Upstate NY and beyond, Scotti Sentes and the Wrestlers in Business Network are actively building a sustainable pipeline of resilient, hard-working professionals. By matching disciplined athletes with local employers, they are entirely changing the landscape of workforce development. For those looking to enter the workforce, Sentes has a clear directive. “Don’t wait till you graduate,” he advises. “Really think about what your opportunities are and get the experience as early as you can, and blue-collar. “
