Nicholas “Nick” DiGerolamo III is a Class of 2025 second team all-state middle linebacker and a state champ in wrestling, out of Holy Cross High School. He has been making strides in both the high school football world as well as wrestling. All while maintaining a 4.4 GPA and with Ivy League aspirations, Nick is a player whose drive for success is one of his biggest strong suits.
Nick is a strong player standing at 5’10, 185lbs. Nick in his junior season had over 125 tackles, 5 sacks and 5 force fumbles. Off the field, he is also a state champ in wrestling. A multi-sport athlete maintaining a high gpa, it’s evident that he is well rounded individual. Highly motivated off and on the field ready and willing to take on whatever is thrown his way.
He has begun gaining recognition among the Louisiana high school football scene being named first team all-district 9-5a. In addition, he was also named to 5a second team all-state this past season. In addition, will be entering his senior season as a captain. He has made tremendous growth in his skills on the field in the last few years. The way he makes decisions on what is needed to get to his target quickly shows off his true knowledge of the game. He shows great field vision leading to a great ability to make tackles that have positive impacts on his team’s success.
Holy Cross’s football program found-a new head coach last year in Scott Wattigny. Under new coaching Nicholas continues to thrive. He appears to be a coachable player who wants to learn how to be best nothing less.
When asked what is one piece of coaching that positively impacted the way he plays DiGerolamo said,”my coach last year Coach Farber, he pulled me to the side before the season started and told me that I have the ability to be the one of the best linebackers in the state I just have to believe it myself. That really helped my mindset this season. He wasn’t getting on me or bringing me down, he was bringing me up throughout the season when I was doing good things or even bad things. Like he would talk me through it tell me what I did wrong. It really helped my game this year because I wasn’t worried about how he’s going to get on me, it was more like play ball and coach will tell me if I need to fix it or not”.
You’re a wrestler and a football player what skills or mindsets do you think are most important in both?
“The biggest for both is confidence. You got to be able to go out there and do everything you practice. Whether you’re against one person or even on the field against multiple. You need to be able to translate everything you’ve worked on.”
While being a multi-sport athlete, you have also been able to maintain a 4.4 gpa, how have you been able to maintain having a high gpa? And what does it mean to you to be able to maintain it?
“Most of it is really my ability to find time to get all my work done. I really work hard on school because I’m trying to get into an Ivy League. Being able to keep good grades and do big things in sports shows you have good leadership and can be counted on”
Following up you said you’re interested in an ivy league but what majors are you interested in?
“Business and prelaw”
What is one thing you’d want any of your future coaches or current coaches to know about you?
“That I’m always willing to put in the work. At times I may be a hand-full but that I’m always willing to put in the work and do the right thing”.
What is one skill you’d like to perfect either off or on the field?
“Definitely staying calm in games. I’ve been better at it this past year but on that sideline it’s easy to get riled up especially with big crowds”.
You’re playing in your last high school season this year. What is something you want to leave the younger players with after you graduate?
“Definitely a sense of leadership and knowing that they do have to takeover the team once we, the seniors are gone. That’s what we’ve been trying to do so far teach them some leadership and get on them to do the right things because that’s what the seniors did when we were freshman.”
What do you think separates you from other players?
“My mindset. I think I’m better than a lot of people. So, I like to go into things always thinking I’m going to win”
Who or what has been the biggest motivation for you so far?
“My dad. He has always been there for me helping me get to practice on time and he is always at my games”
What nfl teams do you watch the most and learn from?
“The saints for sure”
Who are your favorite players?
“Pete Werner, Taysom Hill, and Demario Davis”
What is your biggest strength?
“I have great field vision and I’m really good at always knowing where the ball is. And another good trait of mine is my leadership. I’ve been the captain of my wrestling team since I was a sophomore and i’m going to be a captain of my football team this year as well.”
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