Holy Family tabs Ernie Derrera as next wrestling coach

BROOMFIELD — Ernie Derrera literally laughed out loud.

It was his spring break when he got a call from Holy Family Athletic Director Ben Peterson and was asked if he would like to come to Holy Family and take over the Tigers wrestling program.

“It really came out of left field,” said Derrera, who is the current athletic director at Severance High School. “It was something that I really hadn’t even considered… but I was thinking about retiring from public education in three to five years and (Ben) knew that as well.

“He just said something along the lines of ‘How about retiring a little bit early and joining us?’ And after really listening to what he was saying, I initially said no.”

But after careful consideration, Derrera had a change of heart and will take over a Holy Family program on the rise after Jason Pedigo’s four year run that included podium finishes this past season from sophomores Brayden Bach and Abram Moore.

Derrera brings a wealth of wrestling knowledge and experience, having been around the sport in various positions for over 30 years. He was an assistant coach under the legendary Mike Pallotto at Roosevelt for nine seasons and oversaw wrestling during his tenure as an assistant commissioner at the CHSAA.

Derrera, who will also teach math at Holy Family, watched from afar what Pedigo was able to accomplish and knows that he is stepping into a program on the rise.

“I’m a huge fan of Jason and what he has done at Holy Family. He has led them down a path, and I have talked to Ben about it over the past year and half, where they are rising,” he said. “There is a room of bright young wrestlers that are really starting to be taken seriously, which isn’t bad for a football and basketball school.

“It’s exciting that there is some momentum there and you are not just starting from scratch and there is truly an opportunity to build something special there.”

So what can the growing room of Tigers wrestlers, that reached its biggest number last year with upwards of 30 grapplers, expect from the former military man in Derrera?

“I’m hoping at the end of the season when coaches and wrestlers look back at the matches they had with Holy Family, they knew they were in for a battle. It’s not going to be about winning and losing, that is not the focus, it’s going to be can we be the best possible wrestlers we can be,” said Derrera, who served in the Navy before getting into public education. “And to do that, you better be in shape and you better be ready to go eight minutes and wrestle aggressively.”

“I’m hoping at the end of the year, people are going to look back and people are going to say the Holy Family Tigers were strong on their feet and looking for a pin when they were on top.”

A devout Catholic, Derrera has witnessed first hand the strength of Holy Family athletics, including his stops at Thompson Valley and Frederick to go along with the others previously mentioned. He can’t wait to get his foot in the door in August.

“I know the culture of excellence that Holy Family has in all of their athletics and I know the support their families bring, I’ve seen it first hand,” he said. “I’ve been at state for softball, I’ve seen it at basketball on the opposing side and I know the support that Ben is going to provide. It’s a good thing.”