Cassandra Therriault
Profile Story
On and Off the Field
It’s a Saturday on
a crisp fall day. Football season is at its height and the stadium is starting
to fill with energetic fans. As the players take the field the crowd roars. Not
only is the field filled with talented athletes but scholars as well. Not only
are the coaches creating men within the confines of these goal posts but potential
graduates of Dean College.
The life of a student
can be extremely hectic; but what happens when the life of a student revolves
around both their academics and a sport. Being a student athlete can often be
described as a balancing act. Life, sport, and academics all tie at first for
predominance in these student’s lives. One player that has mastered the juggling act,
Christopher Puzzo, is one of Dean College’s receivers on the football team.
Originally from Lowell, Massachusetts, Christopher Puzzo came to Dean College
to earn a degree in Criminal Justice and continue to play football.
When Puzzo
attended Greater Lowell Technical High School in Lowell, Massachusetts he was
not only captain of the Gryphons but held excellent academic standing as well. Puzzo
also won multiple awards for his outstanding abilities on the field including: Booster
Club Award, Homecoming MVP, Thanksgiving Day Game MVP, Season MVP, and CAC Conference
All-star. Puzzo began playing at the age of eight years old. At this time
parents normally signed their boys up for the local Pop-Warner league as a way
to let the kids burn off some energy. This was different for Puzzo, even at a
young age the passion for the game was there, and the fight to win was as high
as ever. “My most memorable moment in
all of the time I’ve been playing football was right at the beginning. My team
and I went undefeated the first season that I had ever played. It was
incredible!” said Puzzo.
Along with the
perks of playing your favorite sport throughout your college experience there
are many aspects that are at the top of all the student athletes agendas. Their
degree! “Each student athlete must have at least a 2.0 grade point average.
Skipping practice is not allowed and attendance in your classes is obviously
highly recommended,” said Puzzo. Like most students Puzzo takes five registered
courses on Dean’s campus. His days begin at with a six a.m. “wake up” practice
and classes following directly after. All student athletes are required to
attend study hall at least three nights a week. This is not only for the
students benefit but also for the coaches to keep and eye on the work that should
be done.
Each
day poses a hurtle to be jumped, “Some of the difficulties of being a student
athlete are having to try to manage your time accordingly. It is all very time
consuming. You also feeling that you have to be best all the time,” said Puzzo.
These difficulties are well worth it when it comes to Saturday afternoon and
the crowd is cheering for each and every one of the athletes on the field.
“I
love everything about football: the physical part the mental, just having to go
to war with your team every single Sunday or Saturday, and I choose criminal
justice because I want to be able to make a difference within my community.”
Puzzo. Puzzo’s passion on the field and in the academic books has proved to be
more than beneficial in the past. The future looks bright for this young man.
While balancing his love of the game and his future in criminal justice, Puzzo
also manages to find time for extra curricular activates, like playing the
ukulele. Not matter what Puzzo can be found out on the field with his fellow
teammates playing his heart out. “When
it comes to game day I put my left shoe then my right one and I always listen to
the same songs before a game!” said Puzzo laughing, “Hopefully one day that
gets me to the Dallas Cowboys!” With hard work and dedication, this student athlete
might get his wish.
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