By ANTHONY BOTTAN
For one Valley Stream resident, the fairy tale has come true, and his childhood dream has finally become a reality.
Anthony Cotrone, 22, was signed as an undrafted free agent by the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars during the league's draft on April 26, completing a lifelong journey - from playing Pee-Wee football for the Green Hornets, to starting for the University of Maine squad, to the National Football League. "You set goals in your life," Cotrone said. "Now I'm living my dream."
Cotrone, who attended Memorial Junior High School and graduated from Holy Trinity in 2003, said that as more and more players were picked in the first few rounds of the draft two weeks ago and his name didn't come up, his future in football began to look tenuous. But during the sixth round, Cotrone's house phone and cell phone started ringing. Jaguars officials were on one line, and Mike Tannenbaum, general manager of the Jets - Cotrone's favorite team - was on the other. Both teams wanted him, and Cotrone was faced with a tough decision. Needing to clear his head, he asked his father, Louis, for advice. "He told me, 'Do what's best for you,'" Cotrone said.
After wrestling with the notion of playing for the Jets, Cotrone said he felt more comfortable about joining the Jaguars. He had visited with the team and hit it off with Jaguars assistant tight ends coach Mike Tice. As if that wasn't enough, one of Cotrone's former Maine teammates, Montell Owens, plays for the Jaguars. "I feel like it was a great decision going down to Jacksonville," he said.
Cotrone was recruited by the University of Maine as a quarterback at Holy Trinity, where he passed for more than 3,000 yards, ran for more than 1,200 yards and threw 39 touchdown passes for the Titans over three seasons. He earned All-State honors in 2002.
At Maine he was switched to halfback before the 2005 season, and became a three-year starter for the Black Bears. He played in 36 collegiate games but was used primarily as a blocker, running the ball only 25 times (for 125 yards) and catching 12 passes. Last season, Cotrone helped fellow senior Jhamal Fluellen become only the eighth player in Maine's history to rush for more than 1,000 yards.
Cotrone said he hopes to impress the Jaguars coaches when he reports to rookie mini-camp next month, where he will be looking for a position either in the backfield or on special teams. The biggest challenge, he said, will be learning the playbook and team terminology.
Anthony recalled that his parents, Louis and Diane, were the driving force in his football career. During his college years, he said, his parents traveled all over the country to watch him play, never missing a game. "I credit them for making me the type of guy I am," he said. "Without them, I couldn't accomplish what I did. They were always in my corner."
When asked what advice he would give to young athletes who dream of playing in the NFL, he underscored that school comes first. "Keep up with your academics," he said. "It's easy to fall through the cracks. You must persevere over everything."
Signing with the Jaguars is a day Cotrone will never forget. "It was the most exciting, chaotic, stressful day of my life," he said. "It was a dream I had when I played for the Green Hornets."
Tony Bellissimo contributed to this story.
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