Coach Antonio Saldate
Pictures Courtesy of Antonio Saldate
I am Antonio Saldate, the New Head Coach of Gold Rush Reno, and it’s truly an honor to be featured in NV Sports Local. As my previous bio highlights, my wrestling journey began around the age of seven. I had a highly successful high school career, earning the title of 3x State Champion, reaching the finals 4x, becoming a 2x Folkstyle All-American, and a 1x Fargo All-American. My collegiate career continued at California Baptist, where I was a two-year Division 1 starter, and later at Life University, where I achieved a ranking as high as #3 in the NAIA wrestling division.
Since concluding my wrestling career, I’ve embarked on a new and fulfilling journey: coaching the sport I love. Over the past year, I had the privilege of coaching for Gold Rush Las Vegas, where I was mentored by Nevada’s very own Chase Pami, a D1 National Finalist. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed “picking his brain” and continuously developing my coaching skills. I initially started coaching a group of youth wrestlers, specifically those 10 and under. Working with this age group has tremendously helped me grow as a coach. I always felt I knew so much about wrestling, but coaching these young athletes made me realize the necessity of looking at the sport from entirely new angles. They have genuinely helped me evolve, and continually developing and improving as a coach will always be a top priority for me..
Recently, at the end of May 2025, I was presented with the incredible opportunity to coach in the fantastic city of Reno at Gold Rush Reno! This was truly a blessing, as being able to run my own program has always been my ultimate goal. Although I felt some initial nerves, I knew deep down this was exactly what I wanted to do. So, I enthusiastically accepted the offer to move to Reno and take on the position of head coach. It has been an absolute blast so far. Meeting all the athletes and their families has been an incredible experience; they’ve been so welcoming, making this transition incredibly smooth and enjoyable. Furthermore, the support from individuals in the broader Reno area, outside of the club, has been fantastic.
My ultimate goal is to significantly grow the wrestling culture, both within the Gold Rush club and throughout the entire Reno area. I want to showcase to everyone just how awesome this sport is and the immense opportunities it can present. Just this past week, the club celebrated a huge milestone: our first-ever All-American, Maya Fiodorova, who placed 5th at Fargo Nationals! This is one of the highest achievements a high school athlete can receive and can undoubtedly open many doors for her future. In addition to wrestling accomplishments, my overarching goal is to help every athlete reach their highest potential in all aspects of their life. As we like to say at Gold Rush, we’re “digging for gold on and off the mat,” ultimately striving to help each individual become the best version of themselves.
Here is the link to Antonio’s First Athlete of the Month for NVSportsLocal Antonio Saldate Bio Part 1
Here is the link to Antonio’s Second Athlete of the Month for NVSportsLocal Antonio Saldate Bio Part 2