Good Job, Gronk

I'm proud of being from Pittsburgh and am quick to praise and point out people with Pittsburgh ties especially when it comes to sports and entertainment. However, even though Rob Gronkowski, a future member of the football hall of fame, graduated from the same high school as me, I never seem to include him as someone from Western Pennsylvania. The Gronkowski family moved to my school district from Western New York just in time for Rob's senior year of high school. As kids say these days, the move was "sus" as there were several eligibility meetings by local and state athletic organizations. Gronk was eventually allowed to play and graduated. His one year in Pittsburgh is why I don't include him with other successful Western Pennsylvania athletes like Jason Taylor and Dan Marino. It might have been different if Gronk went to college at Pitt or Penn State or played for the Steelers, but he went to college at the University of Arizona, completely off the radar for Pittsburgh sports fans, and spent the bulk of his NFL career in New England and Tampa Bay. 

Less than two weeks ago, Gronkowski returned to Woodland Hills High School to celebrate the reopening of the school's weight room. His foundation donated $200,000 and partnered with U.S. Steel and State Senator Jay Costa in this endeavor. I never heard of him spending time in and around Pittsburgh after high school, and I wasn't aware that he still had any ties or allegiances to WHHS. I'm really happy that he's supporting the Wolverines!

In case you're wondering, as a 3-sport athlete at Woodland Hills (soccer, tennis, and swimming/diving) and weighing 120 pounds at graduation, you might be shocked to learn that I spent very little time at the weight room!

More information about this (the weight room, not my high school workout routine) including pictures and a time-lapse video are available on the Woodland Hills School District website.

Oh, and where can I get one of these Team Gronk T-shirts?

Photos by Andrew Chiappazzi/WHSD