Michael Ficociello

2026 graduate of Winchester (Mass.) High School where he competed in football, basketball, and track & field ... football team captain (2025-26) ... Shriners All-Star Game selection. What does leadership mean to you? Leadership creates an environment where we teach each other through direct and constructive feedback. Hard work and connection thrive when we lift each other up. Leadership builds trust, sharpens skills, and makes us a tougher, tighter team on the field, in the classroom, and beyond. Leadership is earned and must be demonstrated every day, on and off the field. Good leaders set examples, great leaders lead by example. What experience—big or small—has made a surprising impact on you? An internship with our high school athletic trainer had a bigger impact on me than I expected. Seeing what goes into injury prevention, recovery, and performance taught me that taking care of your body is just as important as the work you put in on the field. What's a failure or setback that taught you something valuable? When I was injured, I realized how little I really understood about how to take care of my body. Through PT I learned how important it is to stretch and strengthen. It is the little things, the details and good habits, that help you be your best self. I also learned how to support my team off the field as well. What's a value or principle you try to live by? A value that I live by is "early is on time, and on time is late." Showing up prepared and ready to work is something that you can control every day, it sets a good example, and I believe it shows respect to the staff, builds trust and strong teams. What is something about you that people often don't expect? People often expect athletes to be the loudest people in the room. I am more of a quiet person who leads by example and gets the job done. Although I can get loud when I need to.