AGE: 17
HOMETOWN: Haverhill
FAMILY: Mother, Rosa Micheli; brother, Harrison Almanzar
COLLEGE PLANS: Merrimack College, electrical engineering
FAVORITE SUBJECT: My favorite subject is ELA. I love to write, and this class gives me the opportunity to do so freely. It’s how I express myself and I find enjoyment in doing just that.
BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION ABOUT BEING A HS STUDENT: Is that you don’t need to be like everyone else that’s walking the halls of your school. You’re not corny or weird for being your own person, be proud of who you are, the things you stand for and what you believe in because that’s what makes you, you.
BEST ADVICE YOU’D GIVE AN INCOMING FRESHMAN: Everything is possible, and nothing is impossible. I feel as though so many people now are so quick to tell you something is not possible. Don’t let others’ doubts manifest into you and your own mentality. If you want to achieve something you have to believe you can first. Believe you can, and you will always find yourself with an opportunity to do just that. Don’t worry about what anyone else has to say or what they think, the only one in the driver’s seat is yourself.
THE BALANCE OF BEING A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT-ATHLETE: Time management is the word. Once you become a dedicated student athlete your priorities start to change. and then based on your priorities is when you decide what you’ll put your time into. As a student-athlete you have to be very careful in what you put your time into. Not everyone or everything can take your concentration and time. We only have 24 hours in a day, 8 hours of sleep, 6 hours of school and 3 hours of practice. That leaves very minimal time for things like homework and just overall hobbies.
WHAT ‘SUCCESS’ MEAN TO ME?: Success to me means Inspiring the younger generation, the impact you make during your time is very important. But for you to make a difference for the future, for you to inspire the younger generation on the upcoming. To me that’s what real success means.
FAVORITE MOMENT AS AN ATHLETE IN HS: My favorite moment as an athlete was definitely winning the first Commonwealth Athletic Conference championship in the last decade. My junior year was very rough, we went overall 2-9 and didn’t touch the playoffs. We took all that frustration and feelings into our next year and that’s what fueled us to do what we did this year. The bond we made because of the struggles we shared as a team was unbreakable, so ending my Whittier career with that conference championship made it that much better.
FAVORITE CHARITY: St Jude’s and Lazarus House. We donate a lot to St. Jude’s because of the children in need. Lazarus House is a homeless shelter in Lawrence that me and my mother would go to help make food and give basic necessities to the homeless. It opened my eyes to the real world, and showed me how much joy it brings me to give back
BEST ADVICE YOU EVER GOT FROM A COACH: Coach Chris Valaskatgis and his speech during senior night. A very emotional time I will never forget. I can still remember the way he looked at us all tears rolling down his face. He said “fellas, not many times in your life will you have an opportunity like this, take advantage of it and old it dear and close to your heart. When you get older, it’s the same cycle over and over again. As an adult every day is a repeat of the last. Take advantage of this opportunity given to us, hold your brothers close, hold that Whittier flag high AND LETS GO”
MY HERO IS ...: My mother! Without her constant support and guidance I don’t know where I would be. She showed me what it is to work hard, consistently a role model. Whenever I see her working hard to support me and my little brother it makes me work that much harder to make her proud.
IN 10 YEARS I HOPE TO ...: I hope to make it to the league, play in the NFL. and if I’m no longer in the NFL, I would like to give back to the community. I would like to coach and inspire the next upcoming generation of athletes.
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