Gerry deSimas Jr.

July 09, 1963 - Present

Gerry has been covering wrestling and sports in Connecticut for more than 40 years for several daily and weekly newspapers and websites including The Register Citizen in Torrington, New Britain Herald, Middletown Press and The Herald Press Sunday newspaper. He was the wrestling correspondent for the Republican American in Waterbury from 2000-19.

In 2001, he founded Connecticut Wrestling Online, the state's oldest wrestling website. Three times, Connecticut Wrestling Online has been a finalist for the National Outlet of the Year award from the National Wrestling Media Association.

He was the first Connecticut journalist to be inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame (2018) and is a four-time sportswriter of the year award winner from the Connecticut High School Coaches Association's wrestling committee. He been recognized with numerous awards for sports writing, news writing and photography.

He is the editor of two Connecticut high school record books (wrestling, football) and has coordinated the top 10 wrestling poll since 2018. Since 2009, he has served on the executive committee of the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as Secretary. He is also the chapter's photographer, website editor and historian.

Gerry was named State Person of the Year in 2006 by Wrestling USA magazine,

He is also the editor and founder of Collinsville Press.com (2009), which covers sports in Connecticut. Gerry is a member of the Connecticut Sports Media Alliance, where he serves as photographer and website editor.

Gerry was a youth soccer coach for several years in Avon and was a volunteer for the 1999 Women’s World Cup tournament in New York. He was inducted into Canton High’s Wall of Fame in 2016.

Gerry is a Senior Communications Specialist at Eversource, the largest electric and natural gas distribution utility in New England, where he is an award-winning writer, photographer and lead editor on the company’s intranet website.

Gerry and his wife Jennifer live in Avon and have two daughters, Sarah and Julia.

Posted by the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, May 2025

Awards:

Year
2025
Award
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
Chapter/Region
Connecticut

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