Sports

Patchlete of the Week: Chris Suttmeier

Suttmeier, an Avon High School varsity football athlete, was a recipient of the Northern CT Chapter of National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete Award his senior year.

An Avon High School football player was one of two recipients in town to receive a prestigious national scholar athlete award a few months ago.

Chris Suttmeier earned the Northern CT Chapter of National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete Award, along with teammate Colin Moore, after being nominated by former Avon head coach Brett Quinion. 

"The award recognizes student athletes who have excelled both on the field and off the field in the classroom and in the community," Suttmeier wrote in an email to Patch. "This award  is the highest honor you can receive as a high school football player."

Suttmeier said that both of their names "will be engraved on a plaque in the college football hall of fame which is soon to be moved to Atlanta, Georgia from South Bend, Indiana." He said he is honored and humbled to receive the award. 

"Quite frankly, I was completely shocked when I was told I would be one of the 22 recipients as I was not expecting that at all," Suttmeier said. 

Suttmeier was named most-improved player on the high school football team in the fall. In addition to a two-year varsity run on the football team, Suttmeier was also a three-year varsity track and field athlete, competing in the javelin, shot put, discus and the high jump.

The highlight of Suttmeier's time as a high school athlete came in this past fall's senior day game against Ellington. Avon and Ellington were both undefeated going into the match-up. The Falcons were facing the team that defeated them on the gridiron in 2011 for the conference title, marking the first time that Avon had lost it in four years, Suttmeier said. 

"This was by far the biggest game of the season and one of the biggest games in school history," Suttmeier said. "I had the best football game I had ever played in 10 years. I had only three catches for 90 yards but all three catches had huge impacts on the outcome of the game. We got down 7-0 early in the game. My first catch came on the sidelines for 15 yards which gave us some momentum.

"Two plays later I caught a 43 yard touchdown pass from Noah Hahn that would tie the game at 7-7. My last catch was the biggest play of the game and maybe the season," he said. "We were backed up deep in our own territory. I went deep and it appeared that the throw would be overthrown by 5 yards but I laid my whole body out and caught the pass one handed. This play put life into us and into the crowd and it set up the touchdown that gave us a 14-7 lead which would eventually be the final score. That game was my defining moment as an athlete at Avon High School."

Aside from the game and the records, being on the team has taught Suttmeier about "the true meaning of family and brotherhood."

"We created an unbreakable bond with each other and it translated to winning football games," Suttmeier said. "I love the game of football because of the intensity, and all of time and effort that needs to be put in to it to be successful. Football has taught me a lot about life and has shown me that the football lifestyle is a microcosm of society in the sense that hard work comes with high rewards."

Graduating from Avon High does not mean the end of Suttmeier's football career. In the fall, he will begin his freshman year at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Maryland, where he will play football. 

It all began when he started playing football on the Farmington Valley Mudhogs in sixth grade, according to his mother. Suttmeier has this advice for aspiring football players.

"My advice to anyone interested in playing football is to go out there and do it. Your biggest regret would be not to play," Suttmeier said. "There is nothing like playing in front of your family and friends and playing for your school. The key to success is buying in and dedicating yourself to the game. Be a student of the game. Embrace the game for everything that it is. Learn to love your team mates like your family because they will be your brothers for life."

In addition to athletics, Suttmeier organized events with the group Kids4Kids to raise money to benefit pediatric cancer patients and research. He was the captain of the "Falconatics," heading up the student section at Avon games.

"The Falconatics gave me the opportunity to give back to my school," Suttmeier said. "I love Avon, Avon High School and Avon High School sports. The Falconatics was truly the 12th Man at the football games and being a leader of the Falconatics is a big honor. We have the rowdiest student section in the conference and in the state and I will forever be an Avon Falcon and will always bleed blue and white."


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