Cramming three large sons into an RV to travel cross country for wrestling events could amount to utter chaos. But, for the Jiovenetta family, the small quarters and shared passion for wrestling amounted to some of the best years of their lives. Those years formed a family bond tighter than the singlets the boys wore in their many tournaments, a bond that has survived well into adulthood.
The boys’ dedication to the sport and the unwavering support of their parents led to much success. Vinny and Gio achieved All-American Honors at the NCWA Collegiate level and graduated from UCF. Dante became a 2x FHSAA State Champion for Coral Shores High, a multiple All-American Champion, and a USA Wrestling National Champion.
However, wrestling was and will always be more than title wins to the Jiovenetta boys. They have carried the lessons they learned from training and competing into their careers. Gio transferred his passion into becoming a firefighter, and Vinny and Dante use their wrestling experience both indirectly and directly in two ventures that help the Keys community.
The first, indirect application of their wrestling background is in their company, Too Big Brothers Moving Solutions. The play on words emphasizes the sheer strength these two brothers built from years of highly competitive wrestling, but their success stems from much more than their ability to lift heavy objects.
“Just like in wrestling, you have to work harder and smarter than your competitors to succeed in business. You must exceed expectations,” Vinny explains.
The brothers opened the moving company to fill an obvious need during the pandemic. Much to their surprise, it quickly grew by word of mouth alone.
“One of the best things about the Keys community is how they unite behind people that are trying to better themselves and our community,” Vinny says. “They saw two brothers breaking their backs to meet a need in our community and have rallied behind us instead of the larger moving company chains.”
Vinny and Dante agree that the key to Too Big Brothers’ success is their exceptional service that caters to their customers’ individual needs. Whether someone is moving homes, needs junk removed to the dump, or simply needs a piece of furniture moved from one side of the house to the other, the brothers are there to help.
While it’s easy to see how their wrestling backgrounds have helped Too Big Brothers to succeed, it’s even easier to see how Dante has directly applied it to his primary career. As of last season, this 2x Coral Shores State Champion moved from assistant coach to the head coach for the high school wrestling team, and his coaching extends past the school grounds.
During the pandemic, parents reached out to Dante to continue their kids’ wrestling training. They didn’t want their kids to lose their hard-earned progress nor allow the shutdown to stunt their growth in the sport. Dante met the need in a safe, health-conscious manner and soon opened IsleStyle Wrestling Club.
IsleStyle Wrestling Club nurtures the championship mindset and physical techniques kids need to succeed in the sport and, ultimately, in life. The club prepares kids from kindergarten through eighth grade for competitive wrestling that leads seamlessly into Coral Shores’ high school wrestling program.
Though Dante initially started the club to fill a need in the community, he wasn’t prepared for how fulfilling it would be for him. “I never expected to enjoy coaching as much as I enjoyed competing, but helping these kids succeed feels as good as winning.”
In true Jiovenetta fashion, Dante doesn’t run IsleStyle Wrestling Club on his own. His parents and brothers are always there to pitch in, showing that a family that wrestles together stays together.
– Jerrica Mah is a writer, Army wife, and freelance book editor, who loves to travel with her family.
