Football captain 'wouldn't trade these days for anything'
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Submitted by Jim Quatromoni
Hull High Athletic Director/Community Outreach Coordinator
[Another in a regular series of articles about Hull High’s athletic department and community outreach activities.]
In this week’s article, I am hopeful that readers can gain an interesting perspective of the experiences of a student-athlete.
We will look through the eyes of senior Michael Bilodeau, an important member of the varsity football team, and a starter since his freshman year. This season, he is a captain, and standout at both running back and linebacker for the Pirates. In those roles, Michael is the team touchdown leader, and second in total tackles.
During this season, he has been named both Boston Globe and Boston Herald Division 3 Player of the Week.
Michael also excels in the classroom. Recently, he was named an AP Scholar for his performance on a College Board AP test. Currently, Michael is in the top 10 percent of his graduating class.
Just as importantly, Michael is a fine young man. He takes great pride in performance. His approach is a precise mix of “football player” intensity combined with a thoughtful, analytical mind.
Here is a look at some of Michael’s experiences in school this year:
“There isn’t an easy way to describe how you feel before the game starts. Athletes know the feeling; it hits everyone in a different way.
“For me, it completely arrests me. I lose my ability to speak as I walk out onto the field, envisioning what the game will bring, reliving past games and trying to will the nerves out of the system.
“This year, I’m a senior and each game brings me closer to an inevitable end. As the crowd fills behind me and the game gets underway, the nerves snap, and the arrested feeling disappears. Every thought of college, school, and the world outside of the game falls out of focus.
“I have a lot on my plate, as do the other seniors on my team. SAT tests, college applications, countless hours spent editing and reviewing college essays – the pressures of a senior can be overwhelming. But when we step out onto that field for practice or a game, it is a release.
“My coaches are some of the best role models I’ve encountered in my life. They stress that football is not the ultimate end of our lives, and push us to succeed in all of our ventures. For us as players, football is our major endeavor. The hours sweating and straining in the weight room and doing drills makes us stronger, both mentally and physically. And although our record doesn’t do us justice, we earn the respect of every opponent in every contest.
“For the other seniors and me, there are five games of football left in our high school careers. The prospect of leaving the camaraderie and friends that I’ve made here over the past few years is daunting.
“Any older football player will tell you that it is their high school playing days that they remember best. I know for sure, and I’m certain all of my teammates would agree, that they would not trade these days for anything else.
“To anyone reading this article, I hope that you will support us in the remainder of our games. Following Abington this Friday, our team has four home games in a row.
“I hope to see all of you in attendance and thank you on behalf of our team for your support.” |
