NORTHAMPTON — Starting in the 2026-27 academic year, Smith Voc will no longer host a varsity wrestling program.
Vikings’ athletic director/co-op coordinator Tony Sabonis confirmed the school’s decision to eliminate the program with the Gazette via email.
“Unfortunately, due to financial restraints and low participation numbers, Smith Vocational has eliminated wrestling from our athletics offerings for the 2026-2027 school year,” Sabonis said.
Smith Voc had served as the host school of the team’s co-op with Northampton and Smith Academy, since the 2024-25 school year.
Josh Bialek, who served as the Vikings’ head coach, said he was caught off guard by the school’s decision to cut the program.
“Shock was definitely my initial reaction,” Bialek said. “I was very upset, obviously. I was very much taken aback because there was no real warning.”
Sabonis noted that Smith Academy declined to take over as the host school, leaving Northampton as the only other option to host the program, or else the team will fold altogether.
Bialek previously coached the Blue Devils wrestling team as a standalone for many years, before the program combined with Smith Voc two years ago.
“I’ve talked to [Northampton AD Dave Proulx] and he seems pretty supportive about trying to get it back going and also taking the Smith Voc students as well.
“It all happened so quickly,” Bialek said.
Despite a roster of just 10 wrestlers this past winter, the Vikings had a state champion in Ruth Pollin-Galay, who won the MIAA Division 2 Girls state title in the 138-pound weight class.
“We have a lot of young, up-and-coming kids that are going to be good,” Bialek said. “Yes, it’s small numbers, but success like the first-ever girls state champ, that can produce more numbers.”
Pollin-Galay became the first-ever girl’s state champion at Northampton High School.
If Northampton decides not to host, options become unclear for the team’s current wrestlers. Bialek mentioned co-op’s can only be formed with different schools if there are less than 15 wrestlers on that team.
“I think that part is dumb,” Bialek said. “When a school has kids that want to wrestle and just because a school technically has enough, I think that’s not thinking about the kids. Especially if the schools are willing to pay to the co-op. Wrestling is a struggling sport, especially in this state, especially in western Mass., most importantly. We don’t want less programs, we want more.”
However, if the Blue Devils do bring back wrestling, Bialek vouched his commitment to the program.
“I would definitely maintain being head coach, I’d maintain the same staff, I’m all for it,” Bialek said. “I’ve been coaching wrestling since I was 19, I’m 44 now. I don’t plan on stopping until I can’t show any moves anymore.”
