“Chase is a mature and talented young man who was the heart and soul of this year’s football team.” So says Rye High Coach Dino Garr of Chase Pratt, four-year starter and two-year captain of the Garnets. A departmental award winner in English Honors, with Advanced Placement classes in U.S. History and Psychology under his belt, Chase was a natural choice for Athlete of the Month in November.

 

By Mitch Silver

“Chase is a mature and talented young man who was the heart and soul of this year’s football team.” So says Rye High Coach Dino Garr of Chase Pratt, four-year starter and two-year captain of the Garnets. A departmental award winner in English Honors, with Advanced Placement classes in U.S. History and Psychology under his belt, Chase was a natural choice for Athlete of the Month in November.

“I can’t put into words what an honor this is,” he said when he learned of the award. “My teammates Andrew Livingston and Tim DeGraw were both chosen last year. To be grouped along with them…it’s humbling.”

Humble is certainly a word that fits young Mr. Pratt. Another is “punishing”. The running back and linebacker, an All-Section player in 2014, pulverized opponents on both sides of the ball while leading his team to the Sectional championship for the third year in a row.

Chase could just as easily have won the award on the baseball field. In the spring, he’ll once again captain Coach Mike Bruno’s squad from behind the plate, where he was an All-Section choice last season.  His baseball coach was strong in his praise. “A player like Chase only comes around once in someone’s coaching career. He’s dedicated to the sport and his team, always displays sportsmanship on the field, and has been an excellent role model for other student athletes at Rye.”

So, where does Chase want to go to college? “I’m hoping to choose among Amherst, Wesleyan, and Williams. I intend to use football to attend the best school I can, not the best football school.”

Does he have a major in mind? He laughed. “Well, I love to argue, so I’ve been thinking of law school. I really like all the back and forth, whether it’s the law or politics…even though my own views are pretty much in the middle. So maybe I’ll major in Political Science.”

Whatever he does in the future, there’s no arguing about the impression Chase Pratt has made on those around him at Rye High. Coach Garr summed it up: “I can’t say enough about what Chase has meant to me, the coaching staff, and the team these past four years. I will miss him.”