 |
| Got my competitive spirit at a young age |
Ever since I was little I have been surrounded by and involved in sports. Even at a young age I was giving people the shake an bake. I was born in Hollywood, FLA where my parents shortly afterward moved back to Mass, and I have been here ever since. I grew up with an older brother, younger sister and two decreasingly patient parents. If it wasn't for my older brother starting to play football and me being jealous of him, I don't know how old I would have been when I started playing sports. In high school I continued with my passion for sports by playing football, basketball and track.
 | ||
Fortunately in high school I was able to stay healthy enough to enjoy four successful years of athletics, and accumulate many accolades, including league mvp in football (pictured above), also a Massachusetts and All-New England all-star honors in track and field (long jump).
 |
| Game winning interception |
After high school I attended Worcester State University, where I continued playing football and track. I gave up on basketball on account of the whole being white thing, being 6'1'' and the lack of a crossover. First year was an enjoyable one in which after a pretty successful football season I ended up excelling at track an field....well the field part, I was too slow on the track. I ended up jumping 24 feet and became the top jumper in New England as well as the top freshman jumper in the country, and ended up top 10 in the country at nationals after suffering a minor knee injury...but that wouldn't be my last injury.
Being able to stay healthy my freshman year also allowed me the opportunity to win Worcester States freshman athlete of the year award.
 |
| Being able to stay healthy was a nice feeling |
It wasn't long after until I suffered a fate that a number of athletes face in their life; I tore my ACL in a football game. At the time it seemed like the end of the world but it was the start of a career and I didn't even know it yet. I worked hard with the athletic trainers at Worcester State and realized one day, "Hey this is what I wanna do." I wanted to be able to give other athletes what my Athletic Trainers gave me, a second chance at playing the sports I loved. After graduating with a degree in Health Education I started the Master's program at Bridgewater State University.
As any former athlete in this profession can tell you, it is definitely weird being on the other side of things for a change. It also does take you back to the days when you yourself was playing the various sports you loved. But like everyone else, my time has come an gone for playing collegiate sports, but I have the opportunity to make sure today's athletes get to enjoy they're time to the fullest, and minimize the time lost due to injury. Because as every athlete knows, there's really no such thing as being/feeling healthy, and that's where Athletic Trainers come into play. But that is enough for now, I feel I have rambled on long enough.
 |
| Me an the parents after my last college football game |
One little last tidbit before I end this: (3:55 mark is how you lay down a block)
Some articles of athletic highlights from throughout the year:
