58-Year-Old College Freshman Is Living His Dream Of Playing For His School's Football Team
He has joined a small but elite group of college football players who play when they're reaching retirement age.
Robert Kneschke | Shutterstock If you were asked to picture a college football player in your mind, you’d probably see a young guy who’s pretty fit and muscular. That’s just what we expect to see. We definitely don’t think of a Gen Xer with graying hair, but that’s exactly who Tom Cillo is, and he plays for Lycoming College.
Many people attend college when they’re older, but few can say they did it simply for the love of football. For Cillo, it seems to be a mixture of both. He regretted never pursuing his degree, and he regretted giving up on football in high school. So, the 58-year-old, who has competed in triathlons, decided to go back to school and hit the field.
It was Cillo’s personal trainer and friend who convinced him to give higher education and football a try.
Will Graves reported on Cillo’s incredible story for the Associated Press. The story was shared by the Arizona Daily Star. It was during a conversation with his friend and trainer Dave Bellomo that Cillo decided going back to school to fulfill his football dreams wasn’t the craziest idea in the world. Bellomo has worked with Cillo to prepare for triathlons and to become a power lifter. When Cillo expressed regret over not chasing some dreams, he responded, “Why don’t you?”
At the time, Cillo had left the job he had held for years at the Williamsport Recreation Department and picked up another at Williamsport Area High School to fill his time. His kids were in their 20s and 30s, and Graves described his wife as “wary but supportive,” so there was really nothing holding him back from going for it. Cillo applied to Lycoming, which has around 1,000 students. He is using some of his pension to pay for tuition. “I’m taking a risk academically, I’m taking a risk physically, definitely a risk financially,” he said.
Interestingly enough, Cillo is now playing on the team where Steve Wiser works as defensive coordinator. Wiser taught Cillo in high school. Coach Mike Clark, who is four years younger than him, was complimentary of Cillo. “He’s taken some lumps, but he keeps coming back,” he said. “He keeps learning, keeps working. It’s all part of the process.”
Cillo has certainly caught his teammates’ attention, but is also on the radar of some bigger names.
According to Graves, Cillo is known for giving rides to his teammates, sometimes paying for meals after practice and offering advice when asked, “because it’s what he figured teammates do.” His generosity and sportsmanship have made a mark on his teammates.
“Everyone just loves him,” said Mason Woodward, the team’s junior defensive lineman, who Wiser asked to “help out” Cillo when he first joined the team.
Cillo has also gained national attention. Somewhat comically, The Athletic reported that the athlete, who is close to Medicare eligibility, has also signed an NIL deal with Aspercreme, per USA Today. The deal is for an “undisclosed amount,” but comes with a four-year supply of the product. Cillo is the oldest college football player to sign an NIL deal.
Although Cillo’s story is already extraordinary, he has the chance to make history.
According to College Transitions, the only three college football players who were older than Cillo are Mike Flynt, who was 59, and Tom Thompson and Alan Moore, who were both 61. If Cillo completes all four years of college and continues to play football for the entire time, he has the chance to set a new record.
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Even if this doesn’t go the way Cillo hopes it will, he still wants people to learn from his example. “I know there are people out there just like me, holding themselves back,” he told Graves. “And I want to tell those people, ‘Don’t do it any longer. If you have a dream, if you have a passion, follow through with it.’”
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
