Ginny Ziogas Torreso – 2014 Hall of Fame Inductee

2014 December Leadership Council

By Bob Montgomery           

Ginny Ziogas Torreso, a teacher at Bristol Central who had a standout basketball career at Bristol Eastern and Pace University, was the guest speaker on Tuesday morning when the Bristol Sports Hall of Fame held one of its three annual Leadership Council breakfasts.

The breakfasts are a gathering of Hall of Fame directors, school officials and the future captains/leaders of sports at Bristol’s three high schools.

Recently inducted into the Bristol Sports Hall of Fame, Torreso played three sports at Bristol Eastern, all as an all-conference pick: soccer, basketball and softball.

She was All-State twice in basketball, while the state’s “Gatorade Player of the Year” for girls basketball her senior year and MVP of the state All-Star game. Bristol Eastern won back-to-back Class LL titles while she was there.

She went on to Pace University, where she earned All-NYCAC first team honors as well as being named the ECAC Women’s Division II MVP in the championships her senior year.

“Hopefully you’ll take what I say and utilize it through your life,” Torreso said in her opening remarks. She centered her talk on three important items that would help make leaders out of the students, both within and outside high school and college and in adult life.

“First is surround yourself with good people,” she said. “Second, whatever the task, give 100 percent. Last, lead by example.”

With this, she gave examples of her experiences regarding these points in one of the best presentations given by a Leadership Council speaker.

“Michael Jordan said, ‘Earn your leadership,’” she told the athletes. Then she added her own words: “Do the right things when no one is looking. Respect your opponents, congratulate the other team and shake hands with the referee.”

The students in attendance were:

Bristol Central — Angela Barton, Michaela Bossi, Katherine Britt, D’Andre Conaway, Andrew Damon-Smith, Justin Drapeau, Ashley Elder, Arabella Goralski, Caleb Hildebrand, Taylor Jacquemin, Haley Knox, Alexia Kochin, Gerald LaPenta, Will Litwinczyk, Allison Martel, Colby Macdonald, Erika Monsalve, Kayla Policarpio, Kaysie Procko, Jean Rioux, Bobby Roberge, Nick Savino and Kordian Stanecki;

Bristol Eastern — Justin Belli, Khadaijia Brooks, Delaney Caggiano, Ryan Cassin, Meri Darragjati, Rachel Della Bianca, Emily Deloge, Austin Dias, Shelby Folsom, Max Girouard, Steve Goodrich, Jozef Hermann, Lily Johnsky, Bryce Lebron, Kalie Pasqualicchio, Brianna Root, Ramiro Sanchez, Michaela Sassu and Ken Tenan;

St. Paul — Lauren Benoit, Brendan Carroll, Sara Fracasso, Mekaela Giantonio, Matt Gwozdecke, Jon Hylan, Aaron Kowalski, Austin Kulig, Kyle MacLean, Kelly McMahon, Ryan Mills, Danielle Murdock, Emilie Nowakowski, Eli Parks, Isabelle Sabino, Jose Silva, Joe Strid, Helena Swanson and Madeline Sturm.