Ledyard - They call it the "bomb shelter," the nerve center of one of the proudest and most successful wrestling programs in the history of the state.For the past week, the headquarters of the 17-time state champion Ledyard High School wrestlers doubled in occupancy. And the idea came from about 3,000 miles away.

For the past week, the headquarters of the 17-time state champion Ledyard High School wrestlers doubled in occupancy. And the idea came from about 3,000 miles away.It started when a 5-foot-3 sophomore at Monrovia High (California) ambled into wrestling coach Daren de Heras' room last year looking for a new athletic endeavor after playing basketball during his freshman year.

It started when a 5-foot-3 sophomore at Monrovia High (California) ambled into wrestling coach Daren de Heras' room last year looking for a new athletic endeavor after playing basketball during his freshman year.Kimoni Pollard told de Heras, "I think my dad used to wrestle."

Kimoni Pollard told de Heras, "I think my dad used to wrestle."de Heras told Kimoni to have his father come see him.

de Heras told Kimoni to have his father come see him."And in walks Craig Pollard," de Heras was saying in the bomb shelter following Wednesday's practice. "I had a poster of the (1988) Olympic team on my wall. I told Kimoni, "Yeah, your dad used to wrestle.'"

"And in walks Craig Pollard," de Heras was saying in the bomb shelter following Wednesday's practice. "I had a poster of the (1988) Olympic team on my wall. I told Kimoni, "Yeah, your dad used to wrestle.'" Craig Pollard was an alternate on the U.S. Olympic team in 1988 and, prior to that, was one of the best wrestlers Ledyard, the state and New England has ever produced. But he never told his son of his wrestling career.

Craig Pollard was an alternate on the U.S. Olympic team in 1988 and, prior to that, was one of the best wrestlers Ledyard, the state and New England has ever produced. But he never told his son of his wrestling career."That was me and this is him," Craig Pollard explained. "I wanted him to find his own way."

"That was me and this is him," Craig Pollard explained. "I wanted him to find his own way."Kimoni found his own way to the mat, and last year, his father joined Monrovia's team as an assistant coach.

Kimoni found his own way to the mat, and last year, his father joined Monrovia's team as an assistant coach. "He runs practice," de Heras said of Pollard.

"He runs practice," de Heras said of Pollard.With the program only 9 years old and still in its nascent stages, Craig Pollard and de Heras began throwing around the idea of training with Ledyard.

With the program only 9 years old and still in its nascent stages, Craig Pollard and de Heras began throwing around the idea of training with Ledyard."Our kids are kind of a big fish in a little pond," said de Heras, whose team has won six league titles in eight years. "They haven't seen a championship program. We want to build something and open their eyes. They haven't seen how a room hums when it has tradition behind it. We wanted them to see the room and get a sense of it all."

"Our kids are kind of a big fish in a little pond," said de Heras, whose team has won six league titles in eight years. "They haven't seen a championship program. We want to build something and open their eyes. They haven't seen how a room hums when it has tradition behind it. We wanted them to see the room and get a sense of it all."So, arrangements were made to have the Monrovia wrestlers and coaches come across the country for a week, stay with Ledyard families and shadow their counterparts, attending classes and everything else that goes with being a part of Ledyard wrestling. They're entered in the annual Lancer Invitational this Saturday.

So, arrangements were made to have the Monrovia wrestlers and coaches come across the country for a week, stay with Ledyard families and shadow their counterparts, attending classes and everything else that goes with being a part of Ledyard wrestling. They're entered in the annual Lancer Invitational this Saturday.On Wednesday, 1978 grad and former marine Craig Pollard stalked his old stomping grounds, barking instructions and leading both teams through a grueling practice.

On Wednesday, 1978 grad and former marine Craig Pollard stalked his old stomping grounds, barking instructions and leading both teams through a grueling practice."It's challenging," Pollard said of coaching. "There's a fine line between working hard and when to ease up. I come from a military background. Daren kind of serves as the buffer when I'm beating on them too hard."

"It's challenging," Pollard said of coaching. "There's a fine line between working hard and when to ease up. I come from a military background. Daren kind of serves as the buffer when I'm beating on them too hard." Ledyard principal Lou Gabordi, coach Jason Lanoue and former coach Steve Bilheimer, now an assistant to athletic director Peter Vincent, give most of the credit to Pollard and the Ledyard families who are hosting the "California kids," as Lanoue refers to them.

Ledyard principal Lou Gabordi, coach Jason Lanoue and former coach Steve Bilheimer, now an assistant to athletic director Peter Vincent, give most of the credit to Pollard and the Ledyard families who are hosting the "California kids," as Lanoue refers to them."I didn't really have all that much to do with it," said Gabordi, who coached the team in the 1980s and has been heavily involved with the program for 40 years. "We have so many great parents who helped make this happen."

"I didn't really have all that much to do with it," said Gabordi, who coached the team in the 1980s and has been heavily involved with the program for 40 years. "We have so many great parents who helped make this happen."Gabordi said it has been great to reconnect with Pollard and have him around the school, even for a week.

Gabordi said it has been great to reconnect with Pollard and have him around the school, even for a week."Nobody showed as much pure joy at being involved with the sport as Craig," Gabordi said. "I'll never forget his last home match. He quickly pinned his opponent, had his hand raised, then kissed his palm and slapped it on the mat. He was a truly remarkable young man."

"Nobody showed as much pure joy at being involved with the sport as Craig," Gabordi said. "I'll never forget his last home match. He quickly pinned his opponent, had his hand raised, then kissed his palm and slapped it on the mat. He was a truly remarkable young man."And one who has turned into a pretty remarkable coach, someone who turned an idea into a reality.

And one who has turned into a pretty remarkable coach, someone who turned an idea into a reality."To have these guys come in here and see the wall and see 17 state championships - they have to be doing something right," Pollard said. "You see the same things going on that I saw 30 years ago. To walk into the gym, it's almost like you could hear the crowd yelling and cheering. To walk into the bomb shelter and see the stairs I used to run up, it's almost like goose bumps. It's unbelievable."

"To have these guys come in here and see the wall and see 17 state championships - they have to be doing something right," Pollard said. "You see the same things going on that I saw 30 years ago. To walk into the gym, it's almost like you could hear the crowd yelling and cheering. To walk into the bomb shelter and see the stairs I used to run up, it's almost like goose bumps. It's unbelievable."Tradition runs deep in Ledyard, and no one knows that better than Lanoue, a 1991 grad who often talks about the program being a family. He was happy to turn over a couple of practices this week to Pollard.

Tradition runs deep in Ledyard, and no one knows that better than Lanoue, a 1991 grad who often talks about the program being a family. He was happy to turn over a couple of practices this week to Pollard."That's why we're unique," he said. "I just said, 'Good luck, boys. I gotta go.'"

"That's why we're unique," he said. "I just said, 'Good luck, boys. I gotta go.'"The ultimate goal is to turn Monrovia into a program that Ledyard already has, something the Colonels are happy and proud to be a part of.

The ultimate goal is to turn Monrovia into a program that Ledyard already has, something the Colonels are happy and proud to be a part of."It's been fun this week," Ledyard senior captain Taylor Gunnels said. "I see some of them looking at that board (of past Ledyard state champions) and I know I've spent hours looking at that board. Waiting for the bus at six in the morning, that's what I look at right there. Even if we can give them that much Ledyard tradition to bring home, that makes me proud."

"It's been fun this week," Ledyard senior captain Taylor Gunnels said. "I see some of them looking at that board (of past Ledyard state champions) and I know I've spent hours looking at that board. Waiting for the bus at six in the morning, that's what I look at right there. Even if we can give them that much Ledyard tradition to bring home, that makes me proud."o.poole@theday.com

o.poole@theday.com