Alex Perotti, a senior at TMI – The Episcopal School of Texas, has signed a national letter of intent to play football at Abilene Christian University (ACU), a Division II school in the Lone Star Conference.
Perotti has played tight end and defensive end on Panther varsity teams for the past three years. For the 2009 season, he was named by coaches and sportswriters to two San Antonio Express-News honor teams, all-district first team and all-state second team, both offensive and defensive. A multisport athlete, he lettered in baseball, basketball and cross-country as well as football.
Having played football since fifth grade, Perotti said, “I always hoped I would be able to play in college, but I couldn’t have done it without these guys,” gesturing to the TMI football coaching staff who attended his signing ceremony Feb. 3 in TMI’s Helen and Everett Jones Library. “This is an inspirational program. They give you a lot of guidance.”
Perotti has been a student at TMI since sixth grade, playing football since middle school. Earlier in his high-school career, coaches challenged him to prepare for the possibility of playing college football. “We told him where he needed to be, and he got there,” said Curran. Through daily workouts, weight training and a healthy diet, Perotti transformed himself into a bigger, stronger athlete.
Last fall, Curran started sending out videos of Perotti and calling college coaches on his behalf. “It was just a matter of finding the right place for him,” said Curran. That turned out to be ACU, where Perotti expects to play outside linebacker for the Wildcats next fall.
“For a player from a small high school, it’s an outstanding honor to be selected to play football at the college level,” says Brian Curran, TMI’s head football coach. “Alex is a leader by example. He not only has the physical skills required to play football, he has the heart to play a tough game. Alex has worked hard and he deserves this.”
Perotti also has participated in community-service activities and peer mentoring at TMI and he is a member of the youth group at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. The son of Mo and Bill Perotti, he plans to study architecture at ACU.
