Leyden senior linebacker Steven Gulo still remembers his father’s advice from when Steven played youth baseball with the Devon-Higgins League.
Gulo was 10 years old when his father, Mickey, died from a bacterial infection in 2008.
“He taught us manners and etiquette,” Steven Gulo said. “He definitely pushed us to be our best.”
Leyden linebackers coach Tony Zitzka said he hasn’t coached many players tougher than Steven Gulo. Gulo has been playing this season with a broken right wrist that will need surgery after the season.
Gulo said he believes he fractured his wrist at the end of last season. He wore a cast in the offseason believing it was a sprain, but when the wrist did not heal he went for a second opinion and the doctor discovered the fracture.
Gulo was not willing to miss his senior season, so he is playing with a brace. One of his season highlights was intercepting two passes in a 28-14 victory over Downers Grove South Oct. 2 in Northlake.
“It’s the last time he’s playing football with his friends,” Zitzka said. “He was willing to play. He’s the rock. He’s one of the better players to have played at Leyden.”
As his senior season plays out, Gulo has thought about his father, who was never around to watch his three sons become standout players at Leyden.
Steven Gulo will be the last member of his family to represent Leyden football when his season ends. The 5-foot-7, 185-pound Gulo is a co-captain and defensive leader for the Eagles as the right outside linebacker. He calls all of the defensive signals for Leyden and is one of four captains on the team, along with quarterback Michael Wilms, running back David DeMarais and linebacker A.J. Jaffray.
Steven Gulo followed his older brothers, Mickey, a 5-8, 180-pound running back who graduated in 2013, and Frank, a 5-8, 190-pound fullback and nose tackle, who graduated in 2014. All three Rosemont brothers wore No. 30 on their jersey as seniors.
“I’m the last Gulo, but I have tried not to think about that,” Steven Gulo said. “I’ve been playing since I was freshman. Now, when I’m at the end of the season, I’m trying to cherish every moment.”
Junior middle linebacker Kevin Nevarez is Gulo’s likely successor as the leader of the defense next season. Like Gulo, Nevarez’s older brother, Ivan, played football at Leyden and was a linebacker who graduated in 2013.
“During practice, Steven tells us to focus and stay locked in all the way through,” Kevin Nevarez said.
After losing to visiting Hinsdale South 28-7 in a West Suburban Gold game Friday , Oct. 9, in Northlake, the Eagles (3-4, 2-2) are still in the chase for a postseason berth, with remaining games against Morton and Willowbrook. They need five wins to become playoff eligible.
[email protected] More Top Picks Common Visual Symptoms Of Tbi Parents Should Watch For
Twitter @geomwilcox