The Saint Francis Preparatory School varsity football team held its last grueling summer practice on Friday, August 29 and the players were exhausted.
One of their former players, Vincent Mazzurco, who graduated in 2003, was at practice. Lieutenant Mazzurco is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a Marine officer and he had just flown into New York at around 6:30 a.m. from San Diego to give a speech to the team after the practice.
Mazzurco was there to explain how what the team is doing to prepare for game day is just like his obligation to prepare Marines for combat. His message was clear. He wanted to tell them to keep working hard. He provided many examples of what he did to get where he wanted to be. Mazzurco stressed to the team to “Keep working hard because it pays off and don’t ever feel sorry for yourself.”
They train every day from early in the morning to late at night. They do that so they are not thinking about what’s next. It will come naturally. That is why they practice it thousands of times before they are ready to be sent into combat.
Mazzurco used an example of “muscle memory” to the team. He asked them, “what you are thinking about when you [the quarterbacks] are practicing 3-step and 5-step drop back passes in practice?”
“Your footwork,” he answered. You are not thinking where you are throwing the ball because the drills are set up for you to work on your footwork so on game day you are only thinking about where to throw the ball because the footwork comes naturally.
His speech was inspirational for the whole team.
I had talked to his twin brother, Peter Mazzurco, who is the quarterbacks coach for Saint Francis, before his speech. “I am proud and honored to be the brother of Vincent, a Marine officer; words just can’t describe it.”
Head Coach Vincent O’Connor said of Vincent Mazzurco, “He’s always doing his best. A leader at all times.”
Vincent Mazzurco said, “Discipline is essential, leadership is essential, and teamwork - trusting in each other - leaders trusting their teammates, coaches trusting the players - absolutely set me up for success.”
“My success has never been about me. It’s only about who I can lead,” Mazzurco said adding, “I have never been doing this for myself. It’s only been about that little Marine that needs some help.”
Lieutenant Vincent Mazzurco will return to Camp Pendleton, CA in preparation for deployment in January 2009.
Saint Francis Prep – Varsity Football will host Christ the King in their season opener on Friday, September 5 at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale.
Neil A. Carousso is the public address announcer/media liaison of Saint Francis Preparatory School Varsity Football.
