In an interview with senior, Michael Manzo, we dived deep to learn more about how he had felt during his senior year on the LHS Football Team. Including what he had learned from it over the years.
His football career had started when he was 5 years old while he had played on the cabrillo’s YFL team. He hadn’t always enjoyed playing football growing up as much, rather would have been at home playing games. His Position on the team is Middle Linebacker while on defense, but he enjoys being a captain because he likes to be in control and control a group of kids he grew up with. He also likes being captain for the reason people come to him for help because he is the one they can look up to and need for help. Michael Manzo does play multiple sports as well as basketball but he is looking forward to trying other sports this year too, which is ironic because he didn’t even like to play growing up. He had started all 3 years on varsity he had 200+ career tackles,1 time 1st team all league, 1 time 2nd team all league, he has been a 2 year captain,1x Jim Surch Courage award(team award), team DPOY(Defensive player of the year), 1x Hit man award, and Certified Dawg.
Something he wishes people knew about himself is that he is a great guy and is a very kind person and he cares for others more than he cares about himself. Something he has learned from sports is to “never give up or quit because football is the most grueling sport there is and once you start playing you will never be 100 % again for the rest of the season.You will have to deal with the injuries, school and home life during the seasons and you have to be willing to sacrifice your time and time with family and friends.”
If he had to shout out a couple of people he would say his old YFl coach and Deville Dickerson who both taught him different lessons but he cared for them both. His YFl coach Chris Green had passed away when he was younger and he had taught him things but he was also like a second dad to him. Devillie Dickerson was his teammate during his sophomore year because Michael had just been moved up, even though Deville was a D1 senior that was a DB on defense, but even if they weren’t in the same position group he had still looked up to him wanting to be a D1 player that everyone knew about. Devillie had given him the lesson that no matter how hard it will get during the season, you give it all you got and never ever not work hard.
We can learn from Michael Manzo to not give up and keep trying. The sacrifices you will have to make being a student athlete, and to never stop trying no matter how hard it gets. The sports you love with all of your heart, you’ve got to put your all into it.
