Students from West Hartford’s Hall High School who plan to continue their athletic careers at the college level participated in a recognition ceremony Wednesday.

By Ronni Newton

A ceremony was held Wednesday afternoon at West Hartford’s Hall High School to recognize the seniors who plan to continue participating in sports at the collegiate level.

Nineteen of the 22 students who plan to be college athletes participated in the ceremony, which was attended by a large contingent of family memberes, friends, coaches, Principal Dan Zittoun, and West Hartford Athletic Director Jason Siegal.

As he did when he addressed a group of future collegiate athletes last week at Conard High School, Siegal told the students that to be able to accomplish the feat of participating in college athletics is “outstanding and not easy to do.” He said he is proud of how these students will be representing the Warrior family.

According to the latest statistics, only 6 percent of high school athletes continue on to play at the collegiate level, and Siegal urged the students to thank their parents as well as their coaches for helping them get there, and for their love and support.

Siegal also gave the students a piece of advice: “When you go off to school next year … call home. Make sure you call your parents, let them know you’re okay. Don’t just text.” Transitioning to college is hard enough but playing sports makes it an even greater challenge, Siegal said.

Students attending the ceremony Wednesday, pictured above, were (back row, from left):

• Eli Perry (soccer, Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA)
• Theo Blaschinski (football, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY)
• Burke Martindale (football, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY)
• Chris Keegan (track, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT)
• Ryan Rocheleau (cross country, Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI)
• Brennan Mitchell (cross country, University of New England, Biddeford, ME)
• Chris Monnes (soccer, Trinity College, Hartford, CT)
• Jeremy Rausch (soccer, Union College, Schenectady, NY)
• Tyrek Robinson (baseball, Lasell College, Newton, MA)
• Kyle Conlon (football, Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH)
• Thomas Zinzerella (golf, Providence College, Providence, RI)
• Ben Kriedel (baseball, Western New England College, Springfield, MA)

Front row, from left:

• Sabrina Portal (lacrosse, Western New England College, Springfield, MA)
• Emily Remicio (soccer, Worcester State University, Worcester, MA)
• Sarah Berman (swimming, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY)
• Cammie Cho (lacrosse, Amherst College, Amherst, MA)
• Caroline Grant (lacrosse, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY)
• Julia Silverman (track, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT)
• Rachel Pinsky (diving, SUNY Cortland, Cortland, NY)

Several coaches also spoke to the students. Swim coach John McClure urged the students to pay attention to their time management skills. “Mommy and Daddy are not going to be there,” and being organized is a must for a college athlete, he said.

Girls lacrosse coach Meg Chaplin praised her three team members who will be continuing the sport at the college level. Their coaches are very excited to get them, she said.

“I’ve never seen so many athletes step up on this particular day,” football coach Frank Robinson said, congratulation all of the students who were part of the recognition ceremony.

“Please come back, give back, and let the kids who what it takes to get to the level you’re at,” said Jeff Billing, who has coached many of the students in cross country, indoor track, and baseball.

Principal Dan Zittoun told the students he hoped they would “keep that passion” for their sports.

Not present at Wednesday’s ceremony were Tara Tiernan, who was will swim at Division I William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA, and was previously honored with a letter of intent signing; RJ Michaels who will play baseball at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY; and Thomas O’Gorman who will participate in cross country at Assumption College in Worcester, MA.

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