Nicholas Miano ‘27
Guest Writer
This past Sunday, the highly anticipated intramural flag football season started. “The Greatest Show on Turf,” as some people would call it. For those that do not know, intramural sports at College of the Holy Cross consist of student-designed teams playing each other once a week in the hope of acquiring one of the most coveted prizes Holy Cross has to offer: a T-shirt that says you won an intramural sport. For those of you who do not know, these sports become intense. Real fast.
I am a participant in intramural flag football. I am a center on perhaps the most continuous and oldest intramural sports team, Jerry’s World. Jerry’s World was started in 2021 by my brother, Matthew Miano ’24, and his roommate, Ralph Carbone ’24. The team was named after Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, since my brother (and myself) along with Ralph are Cowboys fans (do not worry, I am not one of those fans who says “this is our year”). I was the only first-year on a team full of seniors, and as such, was tasked to continue the legacy of Jerry’s World. Over the past three years, I have recruited my friends to the team to keep Jerry’s World alive. Jerry’s World has expanded in both size and sports. In addition to participating in intramural flag football, Jerry’s World is also involved with intramural pickleball in the winter and intramural softball in the spring. Intramural flag football, however, remains the cornerstone of Jerry’s World.
This season is a very important one for the senior members of the team. This past March, Dominick Tocci ’27 tragically passed away. He was the quarterback and a core member of the team. Most of all, he was a friend. He used to come to the games wearing a blue polo shirt and sweatpants. Although he chose quarterback since it was a position “where he did not have to run a lot,” he was effective in moving the ball and rallying the players. It is not the same to play without him. Jerry’s World dedicates this season to his honor.
As this is the finale for the senior members of the team, including myself, Jerry’s World turns toward an exciting future. The addition of new first-year players has sparked new life in the team and ensured the continuation of Jerry’s World. “I am pretty excited, I am a freshman, so this is my first year playing,” Finley ’30 told the Spire in a post-game interview. Another first-year, Kevin ’30, has shown promising talent and ability as both a running back and quarterback. “We have a talented group of new recruits,” Jerry’s World captain told the Spire after the first game. He believes that these new additions will bring success in the years to come, long after his and mine time on the team.
Jerry’s World starts the season 1-0 and looks forward to their matchup next week against the Brooks Bunkies.
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