Nick and Eric Frick have a resume unlike almost anyone else on the Suncoast. The brothers were the first siblings ever deployed from the Olympic training center to war, serving in Iraq after 9/11. Now they’ve relocated their wrestling school, Frick Brothers Wrestling, from Parrish to Elite Legacy Martial Arts in Palmetto, where owner Adam Lebuffe is a veteran himself.
The mission extends well beyond the mat. The Fricks founded the War Memorial Foundation Corp to raise funds for 9/11 families, survivors, and veterans facing PTSD and drug abuse. Nick Frick says veterans have told him directly, “Frick, you’ve saved my life.” The school also trains young athletes, teaching responsibility, resiliency, and character alongside technique, with volunteers like 20-year Army veteran Shem Umana supporting the effort and his own kids in the program.
If you’re a veteran looking for community, a parent searching for a positive outlet for your child, or someone who wants to support the foundation, the school in Palmetto is open to you. What local organizations have made a difference in your life or the life of someone you love?
