Gombatista "Jumper" Leggio has been an important figure in Long Island and New York State Wrestling for 50 years.

A Native of Bayshore, he is one of the pioneers of KID Wrestling and has enjoyed a notable career as both an athlete and coach.

He began wrestling in 1946 as a seventh grader. For all four years of high school he was one of the best wrestlers on Long Island, winning the Suffolk County championship and taking second in the Long Island championships several times.

Following high school, he joined the United States Navy and was the All-Navy champion from 1953-57 while also winning the Interservice Championships four consecutive years. After an honorable discharge from the Navy in 1957, Jumper returned to Long Island and competed in the Junior Metropolitan Championships, where he pinned all seven of his opponents to earn Outstanding Wrestler honors.

In 1958-59, Jumper competed for the United States against teams from Canada and Japan while also winning the Senior Metropolitan Championships, the New York Athletic Club tournament and the Eastern National Championship.

Known as the “Father of KID Wrestling in New York State,” Jumper was a true pioneer in youth wrestling on the East Coast. Along with Bill Knapp, he organized the charter for Bayshore KID Wrestling, a document that was later used by the United States Wrestling Federation, how USA Wrestling, to organize youth clubs across the Country.

Jumper also advanced as a referee, working the 1964 Olympic Trials at the World’s Fairgrounds in New York City, the Pan American Games, National Championships, the Junior and Senior Metropolitans and other tournaments along the East Coast.

In 1967, Jumper founded the mat program at Holy Family High School in South Huntington. During the second year of the program, he coached his team to the Catholic School state championship.

His tireless work in promoting KID wrestling led him to be named "Man of the Year" by the New York State Division of the United States Wrestling Federation, now USA Wrestling.

A film produced by William O'Connell and Andrew Slawson.