Wrestling coach on mission to improve physical and mental health of teens
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A wrestling coach in Pittsburgh is on a mission to improve the physical and mental health of local teens.
Rudy Nesbitt coaches at Pittsburgh Allderdice High School. He also coaches Special Olympic athletes. And recently, he started taking students to Planet Fitness in West Mifflin to work out their bodies, minds and spirits.
Senior Bailee Biggs said, "He cares a lot about the community and does a lot for kids. He's really into health and fitness and wants people to live long."
"A lot of kids didn't have transportation. So, I told my wife I'd pick the kids up and take them out there," said Nesbitt. "And we'd get kids from different schools and bring them up here and train them."
Tommy Paternoster said going back to school after a pandemic has been challenging for many of his peers.
"I know a lot of kids are struggling because they don't know how to deal with it. And there's kids bullying them or something and they don't know how to cope with that," Paternoster said.
Planet Fitness had a summer program for teens to work out for free. Nesbitt said he's dedicated to his advocacy and continuing to bring kids to work out together to build not just muscle but character, leadership and compassion.