2 Greenwich High School Seniors Take Next Steps In Athletic Careers
GREENWICH, CT — Inside a media center meeting room on Wednesday in front of family and friends, two Greenwich High School seniors took the next steps in their athletic careers by officially signing their National Letters of Intent.
Landon Cartwright will play soccer at Providence College, and David Ponce will swim at SUNY Binghamton. This was the third signing day event of the school year at GHS.
"I'm super excited. I've been working for this my whole life, and this was a huge process," Cartwright said afterwards. "I'm excited to get started."
Cartwright, a centerback, never played high school soccer for the Cardinals. Instead, he chose to play club soccer for the Beachside Soccer Club in Norwalk. He said his favorite memory playing for the team came last summer when his squad made it to the national playoffs in Houston, Texas.
"Being able to compete there in front of hundreds of coaches and thousands of people, it was super fun," Cartwright added.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year was the first year for Ponce on the GHS men's swim team. To sign-on to play at the NCAA level is a special feeling, he said, adding that he's ready for college and all that comes with it.
"I feel like the Greenwich Public School system has really been a big part of my life and helped me for this exact moment," said Ponce, who has been swimming since 8 years old.
Ponce credited his club team coach Connie Wu of the Stamford Sailfish for helping him improve his technique over the years. Ponce's specialty is in backstroke and the sprint freestyle.
Interim GHS Athletic Director Peter Georgiou said it's difficult for student-athletes to handle the class load and athletic commitments at the same time.
"The fact they were able to do that and excel in both their sports, and now they're going to represent Greenwich High School at the next level, we couldn't ask for anything more from the kids. The school is proud; it's a great accomplishment," Georgiou said. "They're both great kids and come from great families."
GHS Principal Ralph Mayo spoke briefly to the students and their families.
"These two young men exemplify how well we've done this year in terms of getting our athletes into top colleges. We're very proud of them. The amount of work you have to do to achieve this is unbelievable. People don't understand it unless they've done it," Mayo said. "It's not easy. We know they're well-prepared by you and by us, and they'll be successful."
Mayo said the school will recognize and honor all student-athletes who will play at the collegiate level during a day before the school year is over.
This article originally appeared on the Greenwich Patch
