Joey Sorrentino - The Underdog
Sunday, November 22, 2009 | Football
By Joshua Lentine, UF Communications
Whether it is when we are six or 60 years old, there are moments in our lives when everything can seem just right. Some of us may refer to these times as the “good old days,” some may be experiencing them today and still others may have a picture of their ideal future painted in their minds. At this point in his life, Joey Sorrentino could not imagine being in a better position.
In terms of football, it would be hard to argue otherwise. The Gators are on their way to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game for the third time in his career. He is a captain of the No. 1 team in the country, with a chance to start the season 11-0 for just the second time in Florida's history. A win over FIU today will make him a part of the winningest senior class in Southeastern Conference history, with 46 victories.
As one chapter in his life closes, another is getting ready to begin. The two-time SEC All-Academic Honor Roll selection and Exercise Physiology major has been checking the mailbox everyday for an acceptance letter from the University of Florida's College of Dentistry.
“The clock is ticking down and I'm keeping my fingers crossed,” he admits. “Dentistry is my dream profession and I would love to be accepted here at Florida.”
Sorrentino comes from a family heavily involved in the medical field. To him, giving back is second nature.
“I have awesome parents who raised me not to take anything for granted and to help other people,” he said.
In 2008, he used his Capital One Bowl gift to purchase a Wii gaming system, along with some video games, a DVD player and DVDs for a local children's hospital.
“My family has been very blessed. I felt I would only use something for a little while before it took up a spot on my shelf. Then, I realized that I could give something to kids who would appreciate it a lot more than I would.”
These aren't isolated acts of kindness from the Ocala, Fla., native. This past Veteran's Day, along with former teammate James Smith, he and other Gators spent the day visiting patients at Shands Hospital in Gainesville.
“We weren't alone, lots of athletes went. We are very fortunate and it's the least we could do to brighten someone's day a bit,” he said about the visits.
When asked if he was joining Smith as a member of the Climb for Cancer Foundation and their trek to climb Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, Sorrentino responded, “I would love to, but I think he's starting on January 9th. Hopefully, that will be a busy time for us. We talked about it though. I think it will be a great experience and would definitely love to do something with him in the future. I'm a little jealous he gets to do something like that.”
Smith will need the same effort in his saga as it took Sorrentino to ascend through the depth chart and earn playing time.
“I came in and thought, I might I be in over my head. There were, and still are, all these big, amazing athletes and I was in awe of some of the things they did; but I knew if I could find my niche and help the team I would be pleased,” he recalls of his first days.
Maintaining a championship-caliber program requires players exactly like Sorrentino to find that niche. Without him grinding it out and fighting on every play, players can grow soft and diminish a program's edge.
He is a hungry and relentless player, who seeks refuge in not allowing other players to out-work him, while forcing other players to raise their effort levels. Sorrentino plays like an underdog not being taken seriously. This philosophy is exactly why his teammates elected the walk-on a captain of the 2009 squad.
“It still blows my mind,” he said of the honor. “It's an amazing feeling to be elected by your peers, who happen to be the number one team in the nation right now. I'm so thankful and so grateful to be in this situation. What I've been doing the past four years obviously meant something.”
Sorrentino still leads by example. He is the first guy out to practice or to arrive in the weight room. He still gives 150 percent when he charges in for blocks or blazes down field on returns. He does anything to aid Urban Meyer's prized special teams' units.
Over his career, the special teams' units have delivered six returns for touchdowns and 23 blocked kicks. For this reason, Sorrentino knows the crowd watches intently when they take the field. He wants to deliver a big return or blocked punt to ignite the crowd in a fury of cheers. More importantly, he wants to bring another BCS title back to Florida.
“Blocked kicks are awesome, but there's nothing like being on the field as the clock ticks down for your team to win the national championship. Nothing compares to accomplishing something as a team.”
If Florida does return the crystal football to The Swamp, it would be just the third time in history a program has won three outright national championships in four years.
It would be a sendoff worthy for a person of such high character.
“Hard work pays off, not just in football, but in everything. I'm not the smartest guy or the best athlete, but I believe if you work hard and live right it will pay off. I've had a blast over the past four years. I'm thankful for everything given to me and to be so extremely lucky and blessed. I've been living a dream.”
-UF-
