“We love Tommy! We love Tommy! We love Tommy!” The student section chants as Tommy gets up after a big hit from a Downingtown East player. Thomas “Tommy” Ginnetti is a well-known star athlete throughout Pennridge from the baseball diamond to the football field. Off the field, Tommy is also a hard-working student. From his hard work and motivation, Tommy has left an academic and athletic legacy at Pennridge.
Tommy is someone who can’t sit still and gives 110% to everything he does. “While watching film he studies the film and uses a notebook and analyzes everything to make sure that he knows what he is doing” says head coach Kyle Beller. Beller laughs and says Tommy needs to ‘Just play football.’ “He wants to be a leader in all of his sports; he makes sure that he can be a role model for football while also being able to make time for the baseball team” Beller says. Tommy is always trying to improve and make himself better. Along with improving himself, he takes what he learns and takes the younger players under his wing. “Tommy came into school early and taught an upcoming safety by showing them film” says Beller. He wants to do the best for himself while also being able to pass on what he has learned to the younger players. His motivation has been apparent to both coaches and staff at Pennridge.
After an injury with a safety Tommy’s sophomore year, he was the replacement and has been improving ever since. Since then, Tommy has “stood out to the coaching staff” says Beller. Getting that playing time as a younger player helped and shaped what Tommy is as a player today. Over the course of Tommy’s junior season, he dislocated his shoulder three times which caused him to end up with a torn labrum. A labrum is torn from constant wear and tear and in Tommy’s case, the constant dislocations. “My junior season ended early, and I had to get surgery on Halloween,” says Tommy. These types of injuries can take a toll on a lot of people, especially athletes. “I wasn’t able to do anything with my friends that I normally could. For almost a month I couldn’t even drive and I was stuck inside” he says. This injury may have slowed him down, but it didn’t stop him. “I have never missed a game due to an injury, but I still contributed by being able to ‘coach’ the younger kids and help out the team” Tommy states. His torn labrum prevented him from a lot but it didn’t prevent the love that he has for football. This injury wasn’t just a toll on Tommy; it took a toll on the team. For Pennridge defense, Tommy is always a leader on the field and without him the defense “took a hit” Beller says. “He brings intensity and hits everybody,” he says. This intensity that Tommy brings was a loss to the team that they will not get back. Tommy has gotten back up from his injury and is having a season better than ever. With a cut short junior season and a total of 34 tackles and a now extended senior season into playoffs with 43 tackles. Ending his high school career with an amazing 11-1 season and making it to semifinals. Tommy’s improvement over the last four years has been worth every minute from making it to playoffs and recovering from injury and having major improvements.
Although Tommy has had a great high school football career, he has also had a great baseball career. Wiedner University offered Tommy to play baseball for their school which is a big step for Tommy. “It is exciting but scary knowing the workload along with splitting that with a sport” Tommy says. He is studying mechanical engineering, which is known to be a harder program but with his work ethic and motivation it shouldn’t be a problem for him.
Tommy isn’t just appreciated by his coaches but also his friends and teammates. Noah Keating, the quarterback for Pennridge, a teammate and a friend of Tommy said, “I appreciate his work ethic.” Tommy’s work ethic isn’t just kept to himself, but it is noticeable by everyone around him. “On the field, Tommy works hard to help his team to be the best it can be,” Keating says. The team around him takes notice of the leadership that he brings to the field. A current classmate of Tommy, Nik Grande, said that “Tommy is the keystone friend. He ties the group together and is always fun to be around.” Tommy is loved by many because he is always fun to be around and a lot of people look for that in a friend. “He is always open to talk to anyone and be a helping hand,” Grande says. Tommy’s strength, motivation and overall outlook on life has brought him to the athlete, student, and friend he is today.
