Mike Sainristil received some good practice for performing in front of the 110,000 fans that attend Michigan football
Mike Sainristil, with his proud parents, Carlot Sainristil and Raymonde Sainristil, his sister, Aisha Sainristil, and his brother, Raymond Sainristil.
games in Ann Abor with a standing-room-only Letter of Intent ceremony and press conference Dec. 18 at Everett High School.
It was one of the largest crowds ever for an event of this nature at the school that has produced numerous college football players. School administrators, EHS head football coach Theluxon Pierre, teachers, teammates, classmates, friends, and Mike Sainristil’s family convened at the Crimson Café as the 2018 Gatorade Football Player of the Year officially signed with the Michigan Wolverines.
Principal Erick Naumann served as master of ceremonies for the speaking program.
“This is not about football, it’s more about Mikey,” Naumann told the gathering. “A lot of you have seen him on the field, you know what he can do, but in school, he’s nothing but a gentleman. He’s a student that sets the example for everyone. He’s very respectful. He’s in church on Sundays with his parents. He’s always doing the right thing.”
Pierre, who became head coach of the Crimson Tide this season, said that after accepting the job he talked with his wife about Everett’s unmatched winning tradition and she assured the new coach by telling him, ‘’You’re going to be fine. You got Mikey.”
“That made me feel better,” said Pierre. “Mikey was one of the first players to come up to me afterwards and say, “I’m happy you are our head coach.”
Everett, who was ranked No. 1 in the state for the first eight weeks of the season, finished with a 10-1 record. Sainristil, who was a key performer for back-to-back Super Bowl champions, was named to the Globe and Herald All-Scholastic teams in addition to the Gatorade award as the best high school football player in Massachusetts.
A 5-foot-10-inch, 170-pound receiver and defensive back, Sainristil was gracious and humble in his remarks.
“I want to start off by thanking my teammates,” said Sainristil. “I want to thank [Pop Warner] Coach Dennis Willcox because he always made us as players feel like children of his own. I want to thank Coach [John] DiBIaso. He was very special to all of us as a coach. I thank him because he allowed me to step in as a freshman. I promised myself that I would never let him down about that decision he made. I want to thank Coach Carlos Ruiz for coaching us. He took care of us in the classroom and on the field. He was a very special guy to us.”
He also thanked the Savage family, Everett High administrators and faculty, and Athletic Director Tammy Turner.
He said the team should be thankful to Theluxon Pierre and his coaching staff. “They always had our backs and took college trips with us,” said Sainristil. “The endless amount of time they put in and they invested in us as a team. They brought us a long way.”
“To the underclassmen, thank you for trusting me as one of the leaders of this team,” he said.
Sainristil acknowledged the extraordinary efforts of Frederick Foresteire, who helped establish Everett High as the most successful football program in New England and always had the best interests of the players in his heart.
“Mr. Foresteire, thank you for taking care of the football team,” Sainrisitil. “There’s not one time that you never offered your help toward us as players or the city we represent. You gave the pre-game and halftime speeches and those really meant a lot to us. That really helped us a lot on the field.”
He thanked “the City of Everett for all the support you’ve given me.”
Sainristil concluded, “Last but not least, I want to thank my family, my cousins, my brother (Raymond) and my sister (Aisha) – thank you guys for always supporting me, I don’t think there’s one game you have ever missed. Raymond, thank you being my older brother and setting the example for me. Mom and Dad, thank you guys for moving to this country. Without you, this opportunity would never have been possible. We’re not done yet. We have a lot more to accomplish as a family. From here on out, it’s positive. That’s being said, Go [Michigan] Blue.”