By Neil A. Carousso, Public Address Announcer, Saint Francis Preparatory School
Aug. 29 was the last summer practice for the Saint Francis Preparatory School varsity football team. They concluded their final three practices a day for the week and were exhausted.
One former player, Vincent Mazzurco, a 2003 graduate, was at practice. Mazzurco, a Marine lieutenant, had just flown in to New York at around 6:30 a.m. from San Diego and was to give a speech to the team after practice.
Mazzurco was there to explain how what the team does to prepare for games is like his duties preparing Marines for combat. He told them to keep working hard. He provided examples of what he did to get where he wanted to be. Mazzurco urged the players to keep working hard because it pays off.
Mazzurco told the team that his job is to prepare Marines for combat. They train every day from early in the morning to late at night. They do that so they are not thinking about what is next. That is why they practice thousands of times before they are sent into combat.
“Discipline is essential, leadership is essential and teamwork — trusting in each other, leaders trusting their teammates, coaches trusting the players to do the right thing, absolutely set me up for success,” Mazzurco said after the speech.
Mazzurco will return to Camp Pendleton, Calif., in preparation for deployment next January.
