Rit Croce

Speaker Rit Croce address the BSHOF Leadership Council

December 6, 2011

The current group of Student-Athletes comprising the BSHOF Leadership Council had their third and final breakfast meeting  on December 6, 2011 at Nuchies Restaurant.  The students were treated to a breakfast buffet and then heard from the guest speaker Richard (Rit)  Croce.

Rit is a 1966 Bristol Central alum where he attained all state status in both football and wrestling. Rit went on to attend the University of Pennsylvania and Central Connecticut State University obtaining his teaching certificate in secondary education. He later went on to teach for 13 years at Bristol Eastern.  He also chaired the Bristol Board of Education from 1991-1995 and currently is self employed as a remodeling contractor and an adjunct professor at Albertus Magnus College.  Rit spoke about two books he recently read; one called The Dumbest Generation the other The Greatest Generation.  The first book talked about today’s youth not getting the most out of their abilities because of their lack of social interaction because of the current technology.

Instead of having conversations they tweet and text.  The second book is about the generation that endured the depression, survived World War II and then went on to build America into a super power both economically and militarily.  He challenged the students to become part of the Greatest Generation and not succumb to the Dumbest Generation.  Rit went on to talk about leadership and that you can’t be a good leader if you’re not a good person.  Look at yourself objectively and continue to try and improve on those areas you might be deficient.  Make a plan or set goals, believe in them and then act on them.  Take that athletic attitude and apply it to all aspects of your life.

After the speech the students were asked to do a self assessment of themselves as captains of their respective teams this past fall.  They were encouraged to talk about the positive and negative things  that may have occurred over the season.  The students then engaged in an open discussion to discuss how situations may have been handled differently.

At the conclusion of the breakfast the students were given a paperweight with the quote “If It Is To Be – It Is Up To Me” the mantra of the Leadership Council  first told to the students by Robert Fiondella  when the program started 7 years ago.