Michael Suski named Gatorade Connecticut Boys Player of the Year

CHICAGO (Via Gatorade) — In its 34th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company today announced Michael Suski of Loomis Chaffee School as its 2018-19 Gatorade Connecticut Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Suski is the second Gatorade Connecticut Boys Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Loomis Chaffee School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Suski as Connecticut’s best high school boys soccer player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year award to be announced in June, Suski joins an elite alumni association of past state soccer award-winners, including Alexi Lalas (1987-88, Cranbrook High School, Mich.), Steve Cherundolo (1996-97, Mt. Carmel High School, Calif.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy School of Young Women, N.Y.), Heather O’Reilly (2001-02, 2002-03, East Brunswick High School, N.J.), Matt Besler (2004-04, Blue Valley West High School, Kans.), Jack Harrison (2013-14, Berkshire High School, Mass.) and Mallory Pugh (2014-15, Mountain Vista High School, Colo.).

The state’s returning Gatorade Player of the Year, the 5-foot-9, 160-pound senior forward scored 22 goals and passed for 11 assists this past season, leading the Pelicans (15-3-2) to the New England Prep School Athletic Council Class A tournament semifinals. A three-time First Team All-State selection, Suski participated in the High School All-American Game in Orlando. He concluded his prep soccer career with 81 goals and 45 assists.

Suski has volunteered locally at an elder-care facility and he has donated his time to the Special Olympics as well as multiple community service initiatives through his church. “The Loomis attack was centered around Suski, ” said Charlie Fuentes, head coach of Choate Rosemary Hall. “He could quickly turn things on and score a goal. His skill on the ball and ability to keep the ball close to his feet while running at speed made him dangerous from any part of the field. ”

Suski has maintained a B-plus average in the classroom. He has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on scholarship at Boston College this fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. From the 12 national winners, one male and one female athlete are each named Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year. In all, 607 athletes are honored each year.

Two-time winner Suski joins Gatorade Connecticut Boys Soccer Players of the Year Umar Farouk Osman (2016-17, The Hotchkiss School), Ema Twumasi (2015-16, Kent School), Mickey Watson (2014-15, South Kent School) and Matheus Souza (2013-14, Conrad High School) among the state’ s list of former award winners.

As a part of Gatorade’s cause marketing platform “Play it Forward,” Suski also has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national youth sports organization of his choosing. He is also eligible to submit an essay to win one of twelve $10,000 spotlight grants for the organization of choice, which will be announced throughout the year.

Since the program’s inception in 1985, Gatorade Player of the Year award recipients have won hundreds of professional and college championships, and many have also turned into pillars in their communities, becoming coaches, business owners and educators.

To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes, visit www.Gatorade.com/POY, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GatoradePOY or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Gatorade.