Conforto: Strong roots fuel talented leader | Male Athlete of the Year

For Redmond High’s Michael Conforto, one could say he was groomed for athletic success at a young age.

His mother, Tracie Ruiz-Conforto, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in synchronized swimming, and his father, Mike, is a former linebacker at Penn State having played under legendary coach Joe Paterno.

Michael turned out to be a natural two-sport star, playing junior football since the age of eight, and then lighting up Little League fields as a power-hitting center fielder, helping lead the Redmond North All-Stars to Williamsport, Pa. for the World Series back in 2004.

He continued to excel in both sports through this year while maintaining a stellar 3.669 GPA, getting the nod as the Mustangs’ starting quarterback for the second straight year as well as being a big part of Redmond baseball’s fourth-place run at the state tournament this spring. At the same time, Michael, who has signed to play baseball at Oregon State next year, was highly respected by his fellow players and coaches for his work ethic and leadership.

For the outstanding performance and example Michael has set for future Mustangs, he has been named the Reporter’s Male Athlete of the Year.

PIGSKIN PRIDE

The elder Conforto took Michael under his wing since his early days of junior football, and has remained his coach ever since.

“He taught me how to tackle and do pretty much anything,” Michael said of his dad. “He had me be the ball boy for the high school… I was hanging around the players and got into the whole Redmond football experience.”

After a stint as a running back as a sophomore, Michael earned the starting quarterback job as a junior due to his speed and being a true run-pass threat.

While the Mustangs didn’t have the strongest team in what is arguably the toughest football league in the state, 4A Kingco, Michael said that his senior year was extra special due to the overhaul that the program experienced, bringing in a new head coach in Jeff Chandler and an experienced coaching staff that featured three former NFL players.

“I really enjoyed the layout of the practices,” Michael recalled. “We had a lot of energy on our coaching staff and it made practices a lot of fun.”

Michael had his share of highlight-reel plays on the gridiron this season, the first of which was a perfect 27-yard touchdown pass into the outstretched arms of receiver Nikolaj LaCour during the Mustangs’ second game of the year against Lake Washington, a play that Chandler called one of the best he’s seen in 15 years of coaching.

That play, and Michael’s 122 rushing yards for the game, led the Mustangs to a 28-7 win and gave Chandler his first Redmond victory.

Later in the season, the Mustangs went on to beat a ranked team, Edmonds-Woodway, as well as Woodinville for the first time “in 10 years,” according to Chandler, a game that was highlighted by a fourth quarter, 67-yard bomb by Michael to Cody Klepinger.

The veteran coach, who led Redmond’s rival, Eastlake, to a Kingco title in 2001, lauded Michael for his humility.

“Most high school athletes with his kind of ability have huge egos,” Chandler said. “It’s really refreshing to see a young man with that kind of gifts that is so inclusive of other people. He’s a real team guy, and I think deep down he knows he’s a terrific athlete, but it’s not something he’s out there telling everybody.”

SILVER SLUGGER

As well as he played on the football field, Michael is more known for his power bat, a trait that has been on full display since his sophomore season when he slugged eight home runs to lead the league.

On a 2011 Mustang team loaded with talent and promise, Michael was moved to the leadoff position which cut down on his walks, and also allowed the team’s other two Division I prospects, Gonzaga-bound Zach Abbruzza and Dylan Davis – also headed to Oregon State – to drive him in.

“Hitting in the four-hole they wouldn’t give me many pitches,” explained Michael, who ended up batting an even .400 for the year with a .729 slugging percentage. “Also, getting up as many times as possible – I think that’s why (head coach Dan Pudwill) put me, Dylan and Zach up at the top of the order.”

Michael struggled at times during the regular season, but when the lights shined brightest on the team, his offensive woes disappeared.

In the postseason, he was the only player to notch a hit in every game played, and in the state tournament, Michael went an incredible 9-for-16 (.563) while launching three home runs, including two at Cheney Stadium, home of the AAA Tacoma Rainiers.

“He found a way to play his best when the stakes are highest,” said Pudwill on Michael’s late-season surge. “Going 4-for-4 in the final game and hitting three home runs in his final four games speaks volumes about his character, and ability to be a big-game player.”

Michael’s explosive bat often led Pudwill to “shake my head a bit in disbelief” as he sometimes peppered the Little League field well beyond the right field fence at Hartman with his blasts. However, Michael also surprised some scouts by shutting down opposing lineups late in ball games as a relief pitcher. This spring, he allowed no earned runs while striking out 27 batters in just over 15 innings of work – the first season he had pitched in a game since he was 14 years old.

Even with his individual highlights, Michael’s best memory of the year was Redmond’s run at state, as the Mustangs advanced to the state quarterfinals for the first time since 1993 in dominating fashion, beating Olympia 15-2 and Kentwood 6-0 before celebrating a special evening.

“I remember saying to Dylan and Zach, ‘Could this weekend get any better?’ Michael recalled. “We had the two games that day, just blew them out of the water, and then we went to prom that night. It was like a dream, it was really cool.”

According to his coach, it was Michael’s even-keeled personality that led to his success.

“He always has a smile, he always competes, he accepts success and failure in stride,” Pudwill said. “His highs were never too high and his lows never too low. I rarely had to worry about Michael and his mental state.”

Finally, Michael made sure to thank everyone that has helped him achieve his athletic goals.

“Coach Chandler and Pudwill, and all the other coaches that have helped me throughout the years,” said Michael on those he would like to give a shout out to. “My friends, my family, and especially my parents. I’ve looked up to a lot of people and I feel like I’ve had really good role models. People were pushing me in the right direction, and I’m really thankful for all the instruction and direction I’ve been given over my high school years. I owe it to a lot of different people.”