Fall’s Out, Ball’s Out

Name: Sam Glusker

Grade: Senior

Height: 5’10”

Hair Color: Brown

Eye Color: Hazel

Date of Birth: 11/18/04

Name: Efe Kilic

Grade: Senior

Height: 6’3”

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Brown

Date of Birth: 05/07/05

When and how did you start playing football? How long have you been on the Peglegs, the Stuyvesant varsity football team?

S: I played flag football for most of my life, but I only started playing tackle when I joined the Stuyvesant team my freshman year.

E: I used to play recess football in middle school. Those were some of the most intense games of my life. Many friendships were broken. I always liked the strategic aspect of football, so I joined Stuyvesant football the summer entering freshman year. I’ve been playing on varsity since sophomore year.

What inspired you to join the football team here at Stuyvesant?

S: I’d always wanted to play tackle football but never had the opportunity to do so before high school. My parents were apprehensive about it, but we made a deal that if I came to Stuyvesant, they’d let me play.

E: At the open house, one of the old captains pulled me aside and practically forced me to sign up. My mom would make fun of me because she said I was all size and no aggression, so I decided to try tackle football to shut her up. I think it was a really good decision.

What positions do you play, and what skills/strengths are involved?

S: I play running back and safety, both of which require you to be a pretty well-rounded athlete. Basic stuff like speed, strength, agility, vision, elusiveness, and the ability to understand what’s going on around you help make a great player.

E: I play quarterback, but until recently, I would double up as a linebacker until the coaches got scared of possible injuries. Aside from size and arm power, a quarterback must be one of the smartest players on the field. In addition to memorizing plays and everyone’s roles, a quarterback has to be able to read a defense and make quick decisions. They have to be vocal enough to lead 10 other people and have a great game sense.

Do you have a most memorable/proud moment with the Peglegs?

S: Our homecoming game last year is one of my most memorable moments with the team. We had been falling short of our expectations due to injuries and other roster issues. All of the other captains had missed significant time with injuries, yet everyone suited up to play. Not only did I have my best personal game that night, but it was also our most complete team win of the season with everyone watching.

E: It would have to be my first win as a starting quarterback. The COVID year was a tough year, and we had a lot of young players. Pulling out an early win with such a young group of guys bonded us closer together, allowing us to realize that regardless of size or experience, we could still roll with any team we play.

How has being a captain changed your outlook on football? What lessons have you learned from this that you can apply to life?

S: Being selected as a captain for the last two years has been a great honor for me. When I first started playing football, I sometimes doubted my ability as a player and leader, and I wasn’t sure how good I would ever be. However, being selected as a captain showed me the trust that my teammates have in me to lead us as a unit.

E: As captain, I’ve learned the importance of responsibility within a team sport. Every member has their own beliefs, value system, and goals. I understand that as a captain, it is my responsibility to channel all of those ideals toward one common purpose. Whether it be through winning or losing, being a captain has introduced me to the importance of accountability: the sense of knowing when to step up in tough times as opposed to standing back. It's a difficult task, but it helps to know that my teammates believed I was fit for such a role.

Do you have any plans to continue playing football in the future or in college?

S: I have an offer to play football at MIT that is contingent on my admission to the school. While I’m not committed yet, I am pursuing that opportunity at the moment.

E: I started the recruiting process late, so I’m still talking with coaches. However, the main plan for now is to get into a nice school off my application and walk on to play football there.

Do you have any pregame superstitions or rituals?

S: I always walk the full 120 yards of the field before every game. It helps me focus and envision playing at a high level.

E: I like to listen to Sinatra as I walk back and forth in the endzone 11 times. Sinatra may be a weird choice, but it actually helps me get locked in.

What is your jersey number, and what made you decide that number? S: I switched to wear #1 this season. There’s been many great players before me to wear it, and I want to continue the trend of being a leader and playmaker for those around me.

E: I’ve worn 11 all four years of football. I’m not necessarily sure why. I used to be really into soccer in elementary school and played with teams until high school. I chose to wear 11 on these teams because my favorite player was Miroslav Klose, who wore 11, and I just stuck with it.

What are your individual goals for this season? What are the team goals for the season?

S: My only individual goal for this year is to continually improve and be a better player than I was last season. As for the team, we want to make the playoffs, something we haven’t done in the past two seasons. We want to set the tone as a winning team and potentially make a deep run.

E: My individual goal is to beat DeWitt Clinton. As a team, we want to stay healthy. Of course, the playoffs are on the top of our agenda, but to get there, we need to have our team together. Last year, we had a roster ready to make a deep run, but injuries early in the year ruined our season.

What are the best and worst parts of football?

S: The best part is definitely the community and brotherhood that we have. As cliché as it probably sounds, it’s a great feeling to have such a tight-knit group that all has the same goal in mind. The worst part is easily the conditioning we do. It’s necessary to allow us to perform at a high level, but that doesn’t change how much it sucks every time we have to do it.

E: The best part is definitely the friendships. A big part of why I’ve stayed so committed to the team is not because of the sport, but rather the friendships that I’ve made over the years. A group of people willing to throw their bodies on the line for one another is a group that is tight-knit, and I feel that I can really consider them family.

What is the recruitment process for the team like? Is it tough to get people to join the team? What things do you look for?

S: Recruiting people to join the team can often be difficult, even though Stuyvesant is such a big school. We’re honestly just looking for people that are eager to contribute. People often think that they need to be massive to make an impact, but some of our best players are often smaller guys who simply have a great mentality. There’s a lot of people at the school who could be great players but don’t take the risk to join for that reason.

E: The recruiting process was a bit difficult. At the end of the day, not a lot of Stuyvesant students like throwing their bodies on the field. However, we showed a lot of effort in branching out, and we were able to get a great turnout of new recruits. I already see a lot of JV players with lots of potential. When recruiting, we didn’t look for size or strength like many people would assume. We looked for eagerness. Regardless of how big or strong you are, it won’t mean anything if you really don’t want to be on the field. Stuyvesant doesn’t always have the biggest people, but we have the people who want it the most. It has become the culture of the team, a culture that I can see leading us into the playoffs.

Sam Glusker

Funniest Teammate: Eric Tang

Favorite NFL Player: Deebo Samuel

Favorite NFL Team: San Francisco 49ers

Brand of Cleats: Nike

Playing on Full or Light Stomach: Light

Favorite Sports Drink: Yellow Gatorade

Favorite Post-Game Snack: Chocolate milk

Hobbies: Cooking, Playing with my dog, and Basketball.

Motto to Live By: Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.

Fun Fact: I went to court over a $50 speeding ticket this summer.

Efe Kilic

Funniest Teammate: Eric Tang

Favorite NFL Player: Jimmy Garoppolo

Favorite NFL Team: New York Giants

Brand of Cleats: Nike

Playing on Full or Light Stomach: Light

Favorite Sports Drink: Blue Gatorade

Favorite Post-Game Snack: Agua Fresca and Chicken Chipotle Bowl

Hobbies: Playing FIFA, Tagging friends in TikTok videos I enjoy, Practicing the trombone, and Lifting.

Motto to Live By: Whatever it is you are seeking, it won’t come in the form you are expecting.

Fun Fact: I convinced an officer to let me hold his gun.