Whiz Kids: All-State Track Competitor Jesse Socci

Whiz Kid’s Name and Age: Jesse Socci, 17

Whiz Kid’s School: Wilton High School

Whiz Kid’s Accomplishment: One of three Wilton High School track competitors to receive all-state recognition at the winter track state open in February.

Whiz Kid’s Key to Awesomeness:

Wilton High School shot-putter and discus-spinner Jesse Socci is one of three Wilton High School winter track competitors to receive all-state recognition toward the end of the indoor track season. Fellow teammates Tim Becker and Ned Hemmerle join him.

Earning all-state status was not the only honor for Socci, who also was a member of the Wilton football team for the past four years.

He also was named all-FCIAC with a shotput measurement of 48 feet in FCIAC competition. He improved that mark in the state class and state open meets with a toss of 49 feet before placing seventh in the New England tournament.

Socci, who has a personal discus record of 135 feet, is noted for his  strong work ethic and interaction with teammates. He sad he has come close to matching or surpassing his personal best in the discus.

“I’m getting a better feel for it,” he said.

It’s all about what he calls the simple notion of “just a lot of practice, and a lot of hard work."

Socci also shows good leadership and finds it beneficial to help fellow Warrior competitors on the track when participating.

“I find that teaching other teammates [refreshes you] because it makes you go over the basics and concentrate [on throwing] farther,” he said.

Socci will join NCAA Division III’s Colby-Sawyer College track team next season.

Father Luke Mihaly of the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Danbury, who is Socci’s main coach throughout track season, sees great potential in the senior’s future.

“He has the potential to do very well in the state open,” Mihaly said. “He placed seventh in New England’s,  so the potential is there to do very well.”