[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.106″ make_fullwidth=”on” use_custom_gutter=”on”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_layout=”light”]
Name: Dimitrios Tsesmetzis Jr.
School: Western Connecticut State University
Q: How did you get started playing football?
A: I started playing football in 4th grade when my father asked me if I wanted to try a new sport. One of his friends that was a football coach noticed how big I was and thought I had potential.
Q: What separates you from all the other athletes trying to become a professional?
A: What separates me from other athletes is that I have a passion for football and I don’t know what I would do without it.
Q: Tell us about your college choice, career and what the recruiting process was like.
A: The recruiting process for me was very late and complicated. I didn’t really have anyone with superior knowledge about college to help me in the process, so I was doing most of it on my own. I talked to Sacred Heart University and a school down in Florida called West Florida. Since I was late in the recruiting process I wasn’t able to fully commit to these schools. Thus pointing me in a different direction and started looking for schools near me and landed at Western Connecticut State University. Even though this was not my top choice, I was still content.
Q: What would you consider to be your biggest accomplishment in your sports career so far?
A: My biggest accomplishment in my sports career, besides the second team all-conference award I received, would be making a crucial catch on kickoff return to get us in great field position to kick a field goal and go on and win the game.
Q: What do you consider to be one of the more important things you learned from the coaching staff?
A: I learned a lot from my coaching staff throughout the years but the one thing that stuck most was what my position Coach (Coach Lago) always told me: “you don’t do something to get it right, you do something so you can’t get it wrong”. This stuck in my head and motivated me to achieve my goals on and off the field.
Q: What is/was your biggest challenge and how do/did you manage it?
A: One of my biggest challenges was my first game of my senior year in high school. We were playing North Rockland and went into double overtime. My whole team and I gave everything we had out on that field. In the 4th quarter with about a minute or two on the clock, while the score was tied, they scored to put them up a touchdown. But, they kicked a low PAT resulting in me blocking it. We went down the field and scored to tie it but our field goal kicker missed our PAT thus putting us into overtime. At this point, we were all drained and the tension was through the roof. In the first overtime we received the ball first. On 3rd down on the 40 yard line, our QB tossed up a long fade route to me and I caught it and reached for the end zone. The referee marked my knee down at the 1 yard line. We then ran it in for the score. They converted a score as well putting us into double overtime. In the second overtime, we kicked a field goal and made a stop to go on and win the game to make history for our high school. That win was the first against them in our high schools history. The war we went to out on that field proved how we overcame adversity and came together for success.
Q: What is your biggest strength or X factor that you bring to a professional team?
A: My X factor would be my height and my ability to catch. I would be able to catch balls thrown over any defender.
Q: Who is or has been the most influential person in your life?
A: My father is the most influential person in my life. He started out with a hard life then transformed it into success through blood sweat and tears.
Q: What are your goals with football? If football does not work out, then what?
A: My goal with football is to play the sport I love and to make a living out of it as well.
If football does not work out, I will then go and pursue a Business Marketing job with the degree I earn at Western.
Q: How did you prepare for the National Scouting Combine and what are your expectations?
A: I have been preparing for the National Scouting Combine at the Danbury dome with my trainer Keith Deyo. I have been doing heavily intensive speed and performance training there and have really been improving myself in every category. On top of that, I have been meeting up and throwing with an old teammate from Western that now plays QB for the Ottawa Red Blacks in the CFL. He also has been giving me insight about playing at the professional level. My expectations are to give it my all and be the best me that I could possibly be.
Q: What would be your ultimate achievement?
A: My ultimate achievement is to fulfill self-happiness with whatever I do. My ultimate achievement for my football career is to play in the NFL and to contribute for a team to go on and win a super bowl.
Q: If you have to compare yourself to a current pro player, who would it be and why?
A: I would compare myself to Greg Olsen on the Carolina Panthers. I would compare myself to him because I feel that I have similar athleticism and have the same threat factor in the red zone.
