The Right Decision for Senior Teddy Calligeros
A familiar face was missing when Huntington High School opened its doors in September 2005. Teddy Calligeros, well-liked by teachers and classmates, was nowhere in sight, having registered at St. Anthony’s High School for his freshman year. As it turned out, this would be a short-lived absence.
Mr. Calligeros, one of the most popular members of the Class of 2009, is headed for the University of Maryland at College Park. He’s undecided on an academic major but is confident it will most likely be business related.
“I originally started high school attending St. Anthony's,” Mr. Calligeros recently recalled. “I hated it and was miserable there. After about three months of arguing with my parents they finally agreed to enroll me back into the Huntington School District. The first day I walked into the high school I knew I had made the right decision. It was just a great atmosphere seeing all of my friends who I hadn’t seen in almost half-a-year and I was truly happy.”
Academically, Mr. Calligeros maintains a fine 92.5 grade point average and is a member of the Math Honor Society. “Overall, I am extremely happy with how my high school career turned out,” he said. “I believe I have learned valuable lessons, made great friends and experienced great moments that will remain with me for the rest of my life.”
While Mr. Calligeros was a student at J. Taylor Finley Middle School he was on the track team coached by Ron Wilson. Ever since he returned to Huntington, Mr. Wilson has been trying to get the senior back into the track fold. He finally succeeded this spring.
“Teddy is an outstanding athlete with an amazing desire to surpass his limits,” Mr. Wilson said. “He is probably the hardest working athlete on the team. Teddy returned to track after three years. Since his return, I've been trying to persuade him to play football, but I was unsuccessful. Following his great basketball season this past winter, I was in his ear every day telling him about our track program and how he is the missing piece. When I saw him at our pre-season meeting in February, I still wasn't sure whether he was serious or not. However, when I saw him the first day of practice and how eager he was to participate, I knew he was committed. I will say this: Had he participated in track last year, I would definitely have a seat on the bus going to the state championship.”
Pride in his Voice
When Mr. Calligeros speaks about his time in a Blue Devil uniform, the pride in his voice is noticeable. “My favorite part of my four years at Huntington was definitely the athletic program,” he said. “I played basketball all four years. Three of those years were on the varsity level where as a junior I earned All-League honorable mention, and this past season earned All-League and All-Conference. Basketball was my favorite sport mainly because we were like a family. The team had great chemistry and everyone was very close to each other. It was a great experience making it to the county finals. Although we would've loved to win it all, it was nice to prove all the critics wrong and make it that far.” At Maryland, Mr. Calligeros plans to play in the extravagant club basketball program.
As a Huntington senior, the teenager added volleyball and track and field to his high school sports resume. “I really enjoyed track this year and wish I had done for all four years of high school,” Mr. Calligeros said. “Coach Wilson is my favorite coach. He is a very genuine, kind and very approachable guy. There's never a question you can't ask him and he is always willing to spend extra time with you to help you succeed.”
The reunion of coach and athlete proved successful for both as Huntington went undefeated with a 7-0 mark and Mr. Calligeros earned All-League and All-Division honors, as well as anchoring a new 4 x100m relay meet record (44.2 seconds) at the John Glenn Invitational. He ran the 400m dash personal best time of 53.3 seconds, threw the discus 127'11, and launched the shot put a remarkable 45'7, qualifying for the Suffolk championships.
Best Yet to Come
“I'm very fortunate to have coached this talented and very skilled athlete this past season,” Mr. Wilson said. “He is one that is going to be very successful in life. It doesn't matter what the task may be or how hard it may be. Teddy jumps into these things wholeheartedly giving his best efforts. That’s something you can't teach. I will definitely miss his charismatic personality around the track.”
The senior pointed to physical education teacher Jimmy Creighton as his favorite member of the faculty. “I was able to relate to him easily because he was the JV basketball coach, so I saw him everyday and a few years ago he was in the same position as me attending Huntington and playing basketball,” Mr. Calligeros said.
“Teddy is a bright student who is truly motivated by his own interests rather than competition or exterior rewards,” said Bernadette Walsh, Huntington’s college counselor. “With an old fashioned work ethic of focused study, Teddy has excelled. I am certain that he will blossom in a competitive collegiate environment that will not only expose him to varied methods of research and communication but will stimulate his intelligences and further develop his sharp critical thinking skills. The best is yet to come!”
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