A Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame Tradition

Canton High School senior Nick Quattro received quite the surprise at school Wednesday.

Quattro’s family, his football coach and other school personnel surprised Quattro with the announcement that he will be inducted into National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, an accomplishment his father Mark also attained in 1973 at Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury.

“It’s really cool that I’m selected with my father,” the younger Quattro said Wednesday night. “It’s definitely been an amazing day.”

Quattro, a senior, was a wide receiver and cornerback on the football team. He was also captain of that team as well as the basketball and baseball teams.

Head football coach Roger Pearl said the foundation honor is tough to achieve and is based on football ability, academics and community services. Nick excelled in all three and received high recommendations from many at the school including teachers, the guidance office and principal Gary Gula, Pearl said.

“He’s a great kid to coach,” Pearl said.  

In part, the following is what Gula wrote to the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame Committee.

“Senior Nick Quattro has been an exemplary leader in so many areas: as a two-year student representative to the Board of Education, as an active volunteer in the community, and as a member of three varsity teams – football (captain), basketball, and baseball  . . .  Most importantly, Nick leads by example; he has strong character, a genuine desire to help others, an ability to relate to a wide range of students, excellent judgment, and a sincerity which naturally attracts
others to follow his lead.  Athletes on the football team admired Nick for these qualities and his enthusiastic commitment to the program.” 

Mark Quattro said Nick was also all-conference in football and baseball and would have been in basketball, too, if he hadn’t sustained an injury. Nick did, however, sit with his team for every game.

Mark Quattro added that his dad, Mario, made all conference in three sports. “I think the talent skipped a generation,” Mark Quattro said.

Pearl said Nick and his father were a little hesitant about him playing football at first but it ended up being one of the younger Quattro’s favorite sports. And he excelled at it, making all conference and accomplishing other feats on the field as well.  Quattro is the school’s second inductee. The first was Luke Talbot, who was honored after the 2008 season. 

Mark Quattro is proud of his son, who also received the Farmington Valley Superintendents’ Association Student Recognition Award for service, academics and leadership last fall.

“I’m very proud of him; he’s a great kid,” Mark Quattro said. 

Nick Quattro will be officially inducted into the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame in May.

Nick Quattro said he will spend a post-graduate year at Avon Old Farms School next year to work on furthering his baseball and academic skills. He said he hopes to play 2- or 3A college ball but does not plan on playing sports as a profession.