Wildwood Trainer Working with Chinese NFL Hopeful

If nothing else, Anthony Gabriella, is a well-traveled man of faith who believes in the underdog and his own ability to transform a mountainous athletic ambition into reality.
At 5-6, 175 pounds, the former semi-pro second baseman has chased his dreams in Italy, the Virgin Islands, Venezuela, Kuwait, Florida and, of course, the Garden State. A native of South Philadelphia, Gabriella is a personal trainer in West Wildwood who still dreams of working as an assistant coach in professional sports.
“I was an international school teacher for five years,” said Gabriella. “But I had the time of my life playing pro ball in Monteroto, Italy, about three hours outside of Rome.”
He attended Sterling High School before finishing his secondary education in Arizona.
“My father was a butcher with a deteriorating disk so we moved to Arizona for the climate,” said Gabriella, a graduate of the former Glassboro State College. “I made my high school baseball team in Arizona and was playing very well before being asked to leave the team. I was told it was because I was a non-Mormon. I never played college ball.”
Gabriella said the experience made him “a stronger person” even though he said he was “overwhelmed” by the situation. “Life’s not fair so you do the best you can no matter what,” said Gabriella. “I don’t know of any successful person who hasn’t had a hard time in his or her life.”
Gabriella said he moved so frequently because he was in pursuit of a teaching position. He played semi-pro ball on weekends and served as an athletic director for an international private school educating children from kindergarten through 12th grade. “It was not necessarily my choice,” said Gabriella. “It was a good experience. I enjoyed my time there.”
These days the 49-year-old trains athletes out of space in West Wildwood Bible Church. “I lost my teaching job nine years ago and I realized I was never meant to be in a school system,” said Gabriella. “I always thought of myself as a college coach. I know talent and I know human beings. I’ve been in many places and people know about me. I became a trainer.”
Enter a 6-3, 270-pound Chinese athlete named Xin Xu. The pair connected through the Internet and Xu, who possesses five percent body fat, has made the trip far west twice to work out with Gabriella in pursuit of a long-shot dream of playing professional football. “He grew up watching the NFL on television in China,” said Gabriella. “I’m on coaching lists and he saw my profile and contacted me. This was in May 2013 and he assumed I was already coaching somewhere. He thought I could help him get picked up by a team.”
Gabriella told Xu to send information about himself and the trainer went about researching everything that was relayed to him. “He told me he played in a British American Football League in England and one of his coaches was from Oklahoma,” said Gabriella. “His coaches sent recommendations. They said he should be getting paid on Sundays. The information about him was all true.”
Gabriella said Xu first came to the U.S. in March for 40 days. He went home and returned in May. His Visa expires July 7 so Gabriella knows his luck has to come about soon.
“He had sent me a tape of himself after he went to play in England,” said Gabriella. “He insisted that he wanted to come to America to play football. He was denied a Visa the first time because it was around the events of 9-11. He took the rest of that year to learn English.”
Gabriella said Xu earned a master’s degree in England while playing for the Coventry Jets. He was one of their best players and helped the club win a championship.
“From there he was offered a tryout with NFL Europe,” said Gabriella, who maintains his dream of attaining a coaching job in the NFL or a position as a talent scout. “He was one of 60 guys invited and one of 17 who made it. Unfortunately, the team folded a month later. Then he was offered a lower level contract with a pro team in Germany.”
Xu was the victim of a paperwork malfunction between German and Chinese officials, which made him ineligible to play. He then traveled to Texas for a semi-pro opportunity paying $400 a week plus housing.
“I wouldn’t be wasting my time if I didn’t believe in him,” said Gabriella. “Over the last 15 years I’ve trained about 1,000 people. I’d like to help make him good enough to play pro football. I’d like to help him become a U.S. citizen and enjoy the freedoms that we all enjoy.”
Gabriella said Xu is highly motivated and listens thoughtfully to all instruction. He is teaching Xu “to be a tactician” because “he has an engineering type of mind” and wants to please his trainer.
“He’s driven by the fact that he’d be the only guy to make it from mainland China,” said Gabriella. “Asian-Americans have made it and those of mixed race as well. He’s a new generation and it’s impressive because parents in Beijing are against their children playing football. He was always pushed toward basketball because of his height.”
Gabriella believes in the underdog and has designed sport-specific workouts for his pupil. He’s financing Xu’s training while Gabriella’s landlords, Kay and Harvey Taylor, have opened their home to the big man free of charge.
“My landlords are nice enough to house him,” said Gabriella. “Harvey’s a big Alabama football fan. He attended Bear Bryant’s last home game and he has the last hat Bryant wore.”
Gabriella also thanked Jim and Barbara Prospero for helping to get the proper connections for Xu.
When confronted with his client’s long odds, Gabriella readily offers the names of unlikely NFL players such as former Glassboro State and Pleasantville High School star Dino Hall, high school graduate and first round Cardinal draft pick Eric Swann, and local Eagles’ hero Vince Papale.
“I’m not afraid of long odds and I know how to coach,” said the trainer. “Xin’s got NFL size and NFL power and above NFL average intelligence.”