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12/22/2021 11:00 PMWhen Garret Garbinski stepped on the field for the Morgan football team this year, he was doing it for one person—his father and biggest supporter, Greg Garbinski. Garret’s dad passed away this summer, and Garret made it a point to dedicate the 2021 season to his best friend.
Garret wound up having an outstanding season as an elite wide receiver for Morgan. The senior captain helped the Huskies finish the year with a record of 8-3 and earn a spot the Class S State Playoffs.
“My father recently passed away this summer, and he was the biggest supporter I had when it came to football or baseball,” says Garret. “Every time I stepped onto the field, I kept him in mind and would always expect myself to put on a show for him. I dedicated every touchdown to him by kneeling, marking out a cross on my chest, and pointing up to the sky, which I got to do three times on my Senior Night, where I know he would have wanted to be more than anything.”
Garret established himself as one of the best wide receivers in Connecticut during his senior season. Garret had 69 catches for 1,123 yards and 16 receiving touchdowns to go with three more scores for a total of 19 TDs on the year. When the season came to a close, Garret was named an All-Pequot Conference player for his contributions to the Huskies’ prolific offense.
Garret has been playing football since he was in 2nd grade. Garret’s father encouraged him to give the sport a shot, and Garret feels thankful that he made that decision.
“I remember sitting down at the dinner table, and my dad brought up the idea of playing contact football, because it was the first time they were offering it for 2nd-graders,” Garret says. “My favorite aspect of football is that I get to just let loose right when I step on the field. It’s really the only sport where I feel I could just release all my emotions.”
Garret feels that he made significant strides as a receiver in his senior year due to all of his offseason workouts. Garret focused on route running and watched a ton of film in order to sharpen his football IQ heading into his final campaign with the Huskies.
“The most important thing about football is the work you put in the offseason,” says Garret. “Last year, I worked a lot on route running and understanding what makes a great receiver. Besides that, getting in the gym to be able to compete physically is huge in a sport like football.”
Fellow senior captain Andrew Nye has been competing alongside Garret since the two of them started playing football. Morgan’s quarterback was happy to see Garret put together such a big season by catching every ball that came his way this fall.
“I am so lucky to have played with a player like Garret since 2nd grade. His work ethic is unmatched, and it showed this season,” Nye says. “Garret was the main reason why we had so much success. He could honestly play any position on the field. His leadership and determination to the game was a true testament to his character. Our bond and connection was special, and I definitely will miss playing with No. 5.”
In addition to playing football, Garret is a standout player on the Morgan baseball team and also competes for the boys’ indoor track squad. Garret’s plan is to play Division I baseball at Manhattan College after he graduates from Morgan.
“I’ve always been the one to play multiple sports, probably like seven different sports in my whole life. I’ve always had a love for baseball. My mom always told me stories about how I would be in the yard begging her to pitch to me when I was only two years old,” says Garret. “Other than sports, I love to hang out with my friends, no matter what it is. I’m always up for a competition, so whether it’s playing pool or hide and seek, my goal is to win.”
Garret and the Morgan football team went on a run to remember with new Head Coach Kevin Sullivan this year, posting the program’s first winning record since 2016 on their way to making the playoffs. Garret feels proud about what he accomplished alongside his Morgan teammates on the gridiron in his senior season with the Huskies.
“I feel that this season was a great one to end on,” Garret says. “We set the goal of making playoffs, which Coach Sullivan kind of laughed about when we first met him, but we knew what we were capable of, and we got to work. With this group of seniors, I expected nothing less, and I’m glad I got to end my football career with them.”