Number of Participants: 1
Hours Donated: 20
Value of Time Served: $169
Event Type: Civic & Community
Sport: Football
Date: March 6, 2018
Location:
Merrick
NY, USA
About:
Mike Proios, a well-conditioned three-sport athlete and senior at Wellington C. Mepham High School,was recently named to the elite Nassau County Golden 11 team.
The Pirates quarterback, Proios’ football career dates back to when he was a 5-year-old playing on the Bellmore Braves fields. While he was supposed to be the backup quarterback in his sophomore year, Proios trained and earned a starting spot instead.
“He has consistently played at a high level,” said Anthony Cracco, Mepham head coach and athletic director. “He helped led the team to our best season in 25 years. We went 8-3, making it to the Nassau County finals.”
Proios earned All-State honors and recently signed with Seton Hill University on a football scholarship.
“The long hours of film and studying have paid off,” Proios posted in a tweet, thanking coach Anthony Cracco. “Thank you for inspiring me to play football at the collegiate level. Hands down the best coach I’ve ever had.”
He is also a National Honor Society member and plays on Mepham’s basketball and baseball teams.
Giving back is important to Proios who coached a youth football team and helped rebuild his family’s church, Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Merrick, which was damaged in a fire.
The Golden 11 is an honor given to the 11 players who best embody the behavior expected of student-athletes on and off the field, which includes maintaining scholar-athlete status and attaining All-County accolades. Only one student-athlete can be nominated from each school and a committee of coaches makes selections from each conference.
The National Football Foundation chooses just 11 athletes from all of Nassau County.