HOLDEN — Most student-athletes who revere their chosen sport(s) do it with a pure love for the game and a desire to take their performances up to the highest level possible.
Wachusett Regional High senior co-captain Anthony Zingarella is arguably all of that and quite a bit more.
“I’ve always really enjoyed playing, and basketball has been my life” said Zingarella, from Holden. “That’s all I do is play basketball, think basketball, and I love watching it, too. My mom coached at Paxton Middle School, and I used go with her to practices when I was little and shoot around. From there, I’ve played both high school and a variety of AAU teams. It’s pretty much a yearround commitment, but I don’t care because I love the game so much.” Zingarella’s performance in the early season, he admits, hit a bit of a speed bump. Much of his unbridled enthusiasm was somehow lacking, resulting in a slow start for himself and his team. He managed to pick up the pace in the second half of the season, which led to a number of big wins that kept playoff hopes alive. In late February, he was second overall in Mid-Wach A scoring with a points-per-game average of 16.7.
“I got off to a slow start. I had a couple of bad games,” Zingarella explained. “I wasn’t playing the best that I could play. Once the start of the second half of the season came around, I feel like I got back to the level of play I should be at. I was scoring more and became the type of leader that the team needed. I just needed one good game, and after that, things just clicked.
“The coaches have always been hard on me, telling me that this was my team and I had to act more as a leader. I try not to be negative with the other kids, rather I like to keep things positive. That’s how they’re going to get better and get back on track.
“Most important to me is winning. I look to win every game we play, and I’ll do everything I can to win. When I was younger, I used to get really nervous before games, but now it’s more like I’m anxious to play. Once I score my first basket, everything just slows down.”
“Anthony worked very hard in the offseason,” said Mountaineer head coach Tom Gibbons of his 6-foot-4 power forward. “Halfway through the year, he really turned it on and recognized that it was time to step up and be a leader, and he has. The team’s built its identity around him. Off the court, he’s a nice kid, quiet and well-mannered. He goes about his business and is wellliked by his teammates.”
Zingarella has done his share in showing quality leadership to the younger teammates. He’s quick to offer advice and share with them technique and nuances of the game that will help them approve. Although he competes year round on various travel teams, it’s back at his school gym where it all began in earnest.
“I take a lot of pride in playing for Wachusett because I’m playing for a lot of people. There’s a big history of Wachusett basketball. I wouldn’t say there’s pressure, but there’s a big aspect of going out there and doing well.”
