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Moscato Had Fun on the Ice and the Course

Senior Mike Moscato has made the most of his time as an athlete at East Haven High School. Mike got the opportunity to play his two favorite sports—ice hockey and golf—and says that he really enjoyed competing for both of those teams.

“It was a nice feeling being on a team where I knew we were going to have a lot of fun. It was a big deal for me and my family and for everyone to be able to get along and have fun,” says Mike. “It’s sad to see them come to an end, but it happens.”

Mike made his biggest impact on the ice throughout the past four years. Mike didn’t have a set position, but he was a selfless player who did everything he could for the benefit of the Easties.

“This year, we didn’t have enough players, so I jumped back and forth from defense to forward. It wasn’t too bad because, throughout my whole career, I’ve been going back and forth, so I got used to both positions,” Mike says. “It has helped me quite a bit, because I kind of know the roles where the defense should be passing the puck or how the forward should be attacking or how far back the defense should be dropping. It’s just a good experience to play all the positions throughout your hockey career.”

Mike started playing golf six years ago by tagging along with his dad when he went to the course. After playing for a few years, Mike realized that the driver and the 7-iron were his most effective clubs.

“With my driver, I can hit the ball pretty far and, with my 7-iron, I can hit that pretty well depending on the wind,” says Mike. “I usually use my driver to get on the fairway and my 7 to get it closer or on to the green.”

Yellowjackets’ golf Head Coach Dave Augustine named Mike one of his captains for the 2018 season. Augustine felt confident that Mike would fit in nicely to the role and says the senior did a great job of handling the responsibility.

“Mike has been a terrific captain. I rely on my captains for many issues arising with the team and Mike has always done anything I have asked of him,” says Augustine. “I’ve seen his game improve over the last three years and Mike has turned into a fine golfer. More importantly, he is a fine and upstanding young man. I will definitely miss his leadership qualities when he graduates and he is no longer part of our team.”

Mike embraced his role as one of the Easties’ captains. During practices, he made sure to take time to work with his teammates and help them with their games.

“Usually, when we have a practice day, I’ll go out with the first four guys we have, and then the next practice day, I’ll switch it up and go with the last four. It got me to see everyone’s playing style and how they shoot the ball. Everyone got better as we practiced and went along through the year,” Mike says. “I liked having the responsibility of getting everybody ready for a match. It gave me more experience with what the captains before me had to experience.”

After he graduates from East Haven, Mike is going to attend Porter and Chester Institute, a technical school whose main campus is located in Stratford. Mike says that he plans to join a men’s hockey league, so he can keep playing the sport on a recreational basis. You can also bet that Mike is going to continue to spend plenty of time on the golf course.

“I definitely plan to play golf, hopefully every Sunday or Friday through Sunday with my brother, my father, and some friends as I get older,” says Mike. “I can always call a friend to play a round of golf. Even if I want to do it alone, I’ll have that ability to do so.”