Mike Gilsenan
Mike Gilsenan grew up in a large family in the Charleston area of Staten Island in the 1960's when Staten Island was a far different place than it is today. Mike played several sports as a youngster growing up in an active, tight knit family with 4 brothers and 2 sisters. Through those early formative years playing organized sports, it became apparent that Mike excelled at two - Football & Track. Mike saw three of his brothers, Brian, Andrew & Damian, follow him to Tottenville High School and its newly formed Football Program. Mike's dad jumped into the program as well, becoming a member of the Football Fathers' Club in those early years and rising to President of the Fathers' Club, leading the way through those early years. And football was not the only THS Varsity sport that the Gilsenan family excelled in. Mike's sister Jill ran track, as Mike did himself. Mike ran indoor and outdoor track events amassing 27 gold medal and 8 silver medal awards in numerous Staten Island Track & Field events.
But it was football that called Mike Gilsenan...the sport in which he excelled and seemed to so easily define him...the game Mike Gilsenan loves. In 1970, Mike earned a spot on the THS Varsity Football team roster and worked his way into the starting lineup for the Pirates that season. Once achieving his starting player status, Mike would remain a starter through his entire Varsity career! Mike was a true team star on the field, but also known by his teammates as a leader, an example to aspire to and a good friend. While maintaining all these roles, as a teenager, Mike's focus, intellect and love of the game blended with his natural physical ability to play football and the accomplishments and awards continued to amass!
During Mike's Tottenville HS Pirates Football career, his accomplishments included: Scholastic Magazine High School All American, Coach & Athlete High School All American, Kick Off Magazine New York State All Star, National Varsity Club All Star, New York Post All Star, Daily News Best of the Best All Star, 3-time Staten Island Advance All Star, Staten Island Advance Burke Award for outstanding scholar/athelete, Staten Island Advance Team of the Century & Knights of Columbus MVP in the November 1974 Tottenville v. Msgr. Farrell Game! To list a few!
In Mike's Senior year at THS, he was offered and accepted a scholarship from Penn State University to come play football for the Nittany Lions! From 1975-1979, Mike Gilsenan took the field proudly as a Nittany Lion. In his Freshman season at PSU, Mike played in the Sugar Bowl; in his Sophomore year it was the Gator Bowl; Junior year saw Mike playing in the Fiesta Bowl. In his Senior year at Penn State, Mike played in the Sugar Bowl as a starting defensive back. The 1978 Sugar Bowl was the National Championship game versus Alabama! A game storied play-by-play by commentator Keith Jackson called the "the greatest game" he'd ever seen and a game that is freqeuently replayed on ESPN Classics!