Wellesley wrestlers take New Year’s Day polar plunge into Morses Pond

January 1, 2015

Will Maynard, David Osborne, Ned Stabnick look refreshed
Will Maynard, David Osborne, Ned Stabnick look refreshed

The Wellesley High School wrestling team, plus some Wellesley Middle School wrestlers, held their first polar plunge on New Year’s Day at Morses Pond. Coaches and alumni took a chilly dip as well. 

The “Monk Dunk” (the team’s mascot, somewhat mysteriously, is a muscle-bound monk) could become an annual event…

(Thanks to Michelle Grignaffini for passing along the photos, taken by Jill Grignaffini).

Coach Lou Grignaffini broke up the ice closest to the beach earlier in the morning
Coach Lou Grignaffini broke up the ice closest to the beach earlier in the morning

 

Coach Lou Grignaffini and Mark Yanchewski were the last to leave the water
Coach Lou Grignaffini and Mark Yanchewski were the last to leave the water

 

AJ Madden and Lou Grignaffini, class of 2014
AJ Madden and Lou Grignaffini, class of 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Wellesley Wrestling Monk mascot

About that Monk: Some say it stemmed from a wrestling gorilla who once wore the uniform, others say it depicts a coach and others say the monk morphed from a gorilla through a 1980’s wrestler’s drawing. Some say the answer to the riddle was buried along with the old high school.