Printer Friendly Version - Griffith’s as Gifted as They Come

Michael Griffith is one of the best athletes to come through Rusty Dunne’s track and field program. He recently broke the school mark in the long jump and was a member of the state champion 4x200 relay team.

Michael Griffith has played three sports since entering East Haven High School and he’s grown as an athlete with every single year. Michael, a senior, says his progression largely stems from all the effort he puts into his craft.

“I give it my all. I give it 110 percent effort every single time. There were times on the field I could barely breathe, but I kept going,” says Michael. “I try so hard in everything. I love athletic things and always have from when I was little. I always did things that normal people wouldn’t do. I’d hurdle just for fun or I’d see how far I can jump in the backyard. I’ve always wanted to get better, faster, and stronger all the time. My coaches have helped me so much to get me to do all of these things. They train us so hard and really know how to work the body. It makes practice fun and I always go to practice. I always want to get better, so that’s my determination.”

Michael played wide receiver and defensive back with Yellowjackets’ football and has done just about every event for their indoor and outdoor track squads.

“He can compete in any event, literally. He’s tall, lean, runs fast, jumps high, and is strong. He has it all. He’s one of the top three or four athletes I’ve ever coached,” says track coach Rusty Dunne. “I think Mike was like a lot of kids in the early part of his high school career where he could get away with being Mike Griffith, the gifted athlete. This year, he took an enormous step and worked a lot harder. He scored 122.5 indoor points, which is remarkable. I strongly doubt anyone has ever scored that many points indoor.”

Michael racked up the most points in the 55-meter hurdles, long jump, and 4x200 relay this winter. The 4x2 of Michael, Garrett Pates, McClay Marshall, and Jay Donaldson went All-State while prevailing at the Class M meet with a time of 1:34.72.

“That was crazy. When I finished my first leg, I went to the side and I was screaming, cheering them on. I was very aware of where we were the whole time,” says Michael. “Even though when I finish I’m out of breath, I don’t stop screaming and cheering. Our coaches came over and were jumping up and down with us. It was great. It was a good moment and we felt really good about what we’ve done.”

Individually, Michael set East Haven’s school record for the long jump with a distance of 21 feet-9 inches in his victory at the SCC West Sectional Championship.

“The old record was 21 feet-5 inches. Coach [Jim] Vicario was standing on the side and measured and I saw him jumping up and down and then he gave me a big hug. That was a great moment, breaking the record,” says Michael. “It feels pretty great when you’re up in the air all by yourself. You see people around, looking, and you’re flying past them. It’s cool.”

Michael has been a captain for both indoor and outdoor track since his junior year and leading those teams makes the sport even more fun for him.

“Our team, we worked so hard in the offseason and the boys and girls both did fantastic,” he says. “I was so happy to do track this season. Football ended with our loss and I was sad it was over, but with track, we were doing so well that it made me happy again. As soon as track started, I was excited and forgot about football and how sad it was to lose to Branford.”

On the football field, Michael used his speed as a wide receiver to stretch opposing defenses and also made a major impact on defense by recording a team-best 10 interceptions.

“I’m pretty fast and I have good hands,” says Michael, who’s also volunteered with East Haven Unified Sports program. “As a cornerback, I was really good at reading the plays and jumping routes.”

Michael still has one more season left in his high school career with outdoor track this spring. After that, Michael hopes he can find the right school, so he can continue playing football and track in college.

“I’m trying for both. I’m trying to play football and track at the next level,” Michael says. “I’ve applied to many schools, but don’t know where I’m going yet.”