Wrestling legend Mousetis dies at 88
Observer-Reporter
Stanley Mousetis was a fiery and motivated coach at Washington High School during his successful career.
Stan Mousetis
Observer-Reporter
Stanley Mousetis coached four state champions while at Washington High School.
His wrestling knowledge was unparalleled.
He had a special gift that enabled him to impart that vast wrestling intellect on to those he coached, those who coached under him and those he mentored.
Stanley Mousetis, a scholastic coaching legend in Washington and throughout Pennsylvania, died Tuesday in Lancaster from complications from heart surgery.
He was 88.
“When he walked into a room or came to the Brownson House to watch younger kids wrestle, it was like (Vince) Lombardi walking into that room,” said Frank Rotunda, who wrestled for Mousetis, went on to coach the Prexies’ wrestling team, leading it to a WPIAL championship and then became the school’s principal. “You stepped it up a notch when he was watching you.
“He wasn’t easy to wrestle for and he would not bend. He was a tough guy. Nobody, I mean nobody, knew more wrestling than Stanley. Nobody.”
Mousetis was a PIAA and WPIAL champion at Wash High, lost just one dual meet bout as a college wrestler at Franklin & Marshall and was an Eastern Collegiate champion.
His coaching career began at Bellefonte High School in 1951 and he coached the Prexies from 1955 through 1979.
Mousetis coached four state champions at Wash High. He also coached at Plum and Franklin Regional and compiled a career record of 343-260-11. He is a member of a number of Hall of Fames and was inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches’ Hall of fame in 1994.
“There was a right way, a wrong way and Stan Mousetis’ way,” said Dave Cook, who coached under Mousetis at Wash High and then went on to become a Hall of Fame coach himself with stints at Ringgold, Chartiers-Houston and Canon-McMillan. “He molded me and he taught me.
“Stanley was a great coach and a great man. I learned more wrestling from Stanley than anybody. His practices were long and he never shied away from letting you know about his philosophical thoughts.”
Back in the day of the old Section 3, which included Canon-McMillan, Trinity, Chartiers-Houston, Wash High, McGuffey, Peters Township, Fort Cherry and others, the section tournaments were brutal. Seeding meetings were worse.
“We butted heads a lot in those days,” said Manuel Pihakis, a three-time PIAA champion from Canonsburg and former Big Macs’ athletic director. “But when it was over, it was over. When we went to states, all of us, pulled together and we were a team.
“Stanley is an icon in the wrestling world. He’s a legend and was a great coach who took care of his kids. That was an amazing group of coaches and wrestlers back at that time. Stanley was among the best.”
Ricardo “Ticky” Bryant also wrestled for Mousetis at Wash High. Bryant was a section champ and WPIAL runnerup. He credits Mousetis for having every wrestler on the team prepared and ready to wrestle properly.
“He was hard on each wrestler,” Bryant said. “No exceptions. But he cared for every wrestler he coached. It didn’t matter what your skill level was or the success you did or didn’t have. Mr. Mousetis would go to your house. He made me a better person. He was like my second father. I loved him.
“The man is an icon. He coached some of the best teams around and state champions. He is known all over Pennsylvania.”
Mousetis was preceded in death by his first wife, Alice, and second wife, Gretchen.
He is survived by two daughters, Lori and Helen, and four sons, Mike, Steve, Tim and John.
Mousetis also was a wrestling referee – both high school and college – and was an assistant coach at Pitt.
“He was a great coach and leader of his boys,” said former Trinity head coach Joe Shook, also a wrestling Hall of Famer and state champion. “He always got the best of his wrestlers and he had some great ones.
“I loved competing against him because he was a great motivator and man. He was as dedicated a wrestling coach as there ever was.”