Seven questions for Jack Pistorious ’21.5, men’s football

Jack Pistorius ’21.5, from Park Ridge, Illinois, is a senior on the men’s football team. In this installment of “seven questions,” Pistorius recalls how he ended up at Middlebury, his favorite memory to date with the football team and what he would tell his freshman self.

JL: Why did you choose to play at Middlebury? 

JP: Middlebury was the first school to contact me in the recruiting process, and the coaches maintained a great relationship with me. I also had a friend who was two years older than me who was already a Middlebury football player and [he] really convinced me to come. Once I came on a visit and saw the view from the stadium, I was sold. 

JL: What is one of your favorite memories from your time on the Middlebury football team?

JP: Beating Tufts to cap off the 2019 season with a perfect 9–0 record. It was the first game my dad was able to see me play in college, so that made it extra special for me. 

JL: What are you most proud of during your Middlebury football career?

JP: Being a mentor and role model for the younger guys on the team to help them have the best experience possible. 

JL: If you could describe your experience in three words, what would they be? 

JP: Fun. Competitive. Family.

JL: How (if at all) do you think Covid-19 impacted the team's season thus far?

JP: Covid-19 has made the 2021 season unique in many ways. Because many guys, including myself, took some time off to be able to return for our final season, the team is much larger than it has ever been. As a result, we have had to split the team into a travel squad of 75, so the ~30 other players cannot travel with the team to games. Additionally, the NESCAC rules regarding Covid-19 state that if an athlete tests positive the week of a game, they cannot play that week, so there has been a heightened sense of anxiety because of the consequences of testing positive. However, the most notable difference is far and away the absence of the chocolate milk machine in our locker room. 

JL: If you could tell your freshman-year self anything, what would it be?

JP: As my college career is winding down, the one thing I would tell my freshman self is to enjoy all the little things that make up the Middlebury experience. In football, we have a saying: “Have to, Want to, Get to,” which pertains to things that might not be that exciting or fun, [but] the sooner you can adopt the mindset that you “get to” do something, the better off you will be. Whether it’s getting dinner at Ross or walking down to the library on a nice fall evening, if you live with the notion that you get to do everything, you will get so much out of every day. 

JL: What is one word that describes your playing style? 

JP: Spider.

 

Editor's Note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.