Ex-Marine Chipoletti readjusts to civilian life
It’s been almost a decade since 2005 Hernando High graduate Addison Kyle Chipoletti became a local legend.
The currently 5-foot-10, 210-pound Chipoletti will be feted during halftime of Friday’s football game against South Sumter at Tom Fisher Memorial Stadium as one of the eight new inductees to the Hernando High Sports Hall of Fame.
Chipoletti, a three-time state champion in wrestling, is the older of two children to Tampa’s Laura Irwin.
Addison Chipoletti, a 2005 Hernando High grad, enlisted in the U.S. Marines and had tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. COURTESY PHOTO
The daily routine for the 28-year-old Chipoletti includes working out at a Tampa gym three times a week as well as cardio activity twice a week.
Though he maintains that he can still bench press 400 pounds, he admits doing more endurance workouts than simply attempting to stack up more weight.
After high school graduation, Chipoletti worked several jobs before joining the Marine Corps.
He dutifully served four years in the infantry and was deployed in Iraq and principally in the Heldmand Province of Afghanistan.
“The Corps was a great opportunity for me,” explained Chipoletti. “It kind of opened up my eyes to the world. Bottom line, the experience made me a better person.”
On what the Marines Corps fundamentally presented to him, “It provided me discipline and goals,” replied Chipoletti. “When you get in, you realize your freedom is taken away from you. There’s so much structure and a lot more discipline. The experience gave me life values.”
His tours also left an indelible imprint. He returned 90 percent disabled. The inordinate amount of explosions left Chipoletti’s hearing impaired.
His knees also aren’t the same after carrying 60-70 pounds of gear (mostly ammunition) for 48 months across a wide variety of inhospitable terrain.
Most importantly, like most returning veterans Chipoletti doesn’t speak publically of the buddies and brothers in arms that didn’t return home.
“While you’re there, you don’t really think about it (possibly dying),” noted Chipoletti. “Every minute you’re trying to watch your buddy’s back and he’s doing the same.”
His coping mechanism was prayer.
“In dealing with (roadside) IEDs (improvised explosive devices), I was fortunate that I had a really good relationship with God,” said Chipoletti. “All you can do if one of those devices went off was pray for your buddy’s family.”
In surviving a war zone, “For four years, shooting and killing other people seemed OK,” recalled Chipoletti, who upon return suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. “It didn’t hit me until I got back stateside when you’re a civilian and the last thing you want to do is take someone’s life.
“My current disability is from a combination of things,” he said. “With every explosion, the TBIs (traumatic brain injury) send shockwaves through your body. Those made a difference. And I don’t use a hearing aid, but I have to concentrate to hear people.
“My knees aren’t the same because no one’s body is meant to carry so much weight for four years.”
Chipoletti battled PTSD initially with medication and visiting counselors at local the VA.
The meds and counseling have helped curb Chipoletti’s anxieties and have limited his bad dreams. Still, when he’s in a big crowd he continues to have trouble coping with the situation.
These days, thanks to the G.I. Bill, Chipoletti travels from his home in Hillsborough to Pinellas County taking night courses at the Aviation Academy in Clearwater.
On servicing all types of aircraft, “It’s just something I thought I could do,” he said. “This is a great career opportunity.”
Chipoletti returns to Brooksville as one of the Leopards’ most decorated athletes. He’s certainly not a one-hit wonder, excelling in three sports.
Most folks forget the fact that he played four seasons of football, including three at the varsity level under Matt Smith. He lined up along both the offensive and defensive line.
As a senior D-lineman, he was named All-County behind a 74-tackle effort, including two sacks and one fumble recovery.
In wrestling, he competed at the varsity level for four seasons. Chipoletti, who finished 97-2 across his final two mat campaigns under Smith and Bill Combs Sr., collected three gold medals from 2003-05.
Besides finishing 143-33 (81 percent) lifetime with 72 pins – highlighted by a stunning 12-0 slate at states – Chipoletti is the only Leopard to ever win multiple state titles in the school’s 41-year history.
Besides being a three-time Wrestler of the Year, Chipoletti also forged a standout career in the weight room.
Under skipper Bill Browning, Chipoletti went 6-0 in a splendid senior campaign in 2005 topped by his state title (his school-record fourth at HHS) behind a whopping 680-pound total (470 bench press, 210 clean-and-jerk) at 199 pounds.
The three-time All-County selection in weightlifting was a stout three-time Hernando County champion.
Chipoletti and fellow state champ Anthony Roberts enabled the Purple and Gold to finish third in the Class 1A FHSAA Finals in 2005.
On being named to the Hall of Fame, “This is pretty cool,” he said. “I feel so honored. There were so many great athletes at Hernando; this is special.”
In a card of thanks, “I have to thank Coach Smith and all the Combs,” Chipoletti said. “No matter who you are you have to put in the work in practice and that’s exactly what we did. If you put in the work, you will win. I owe my teammates a lot.
“I really want to be remembered as a good person and as a hard worker,” detailed Chipoletti on his legacy. “I want to be remembered as the guy who said if I was going to do something, I did it. Reaching the Hall of Fame is outstanding, but I feel I haven’t even written the third chapter of my life. I’m 28. There’s so much more I want to do.”
By the numbers: Hernando’s Addison Chipoletti (2001-05)
– Compiled by TONY CASTRO
WRESTLING
YEAR W L .PCT PINS CLASS WGT
2001-02 7 19 .269 3 1A 160
2002-03*$ 39 12 .765 17 1A 171
2003-04*$ 47 1 .979 23 1A 171
2004-05*$ 50 1 .980 29 1A 189
TOTALS 143 33 .813 72
* Wrestler of the Year.
$ Denotes state champion.
By the numbers: Hernando’s Addison Chipoletti (2005)
– Compiled by TONY CASTRO
WEIGHTLIFTING
OPPONENT WGT BEN C&J TOT PL
Springstead 199 320 225 595 1st
Central 199 385 255 640 1st
Sub-Section V meet 199 405 265 670 1st
Section V meet 199 390 275 665 1st
Hernando County meet#% 199 405 265 670 1st
1A state meet$ + 199 410 270 680 1st
# Denotes three-time Hernando County champion.
% Denotes three-time All-County selection.
+ Co-Lifter of the Year.
$ Denotes state champion.
