Can you imagine what it must feel like, after three years of high school athletics, to have your hard work and dedication recognized by a company that wants to use your name, image, or likeness to sponsor their product?

Half Hollow Hills East Class of 2023 lacrosse attacker and midfielder Santino Rossitto knows EXACTLY how it feels.

The rising senior, who is playing his club lacrosse this fall in anticipation of his final high school campaign next spring with the Thunderbirds, signed an NIL deal with Sayers Shoe Shop recently, along with three other student-athletes at Half Hollow Hills East in Dix Hills, New York.

If I told you just a few short years ago that college and in some stats, high school athletes would be getting paid for their athletic accomplishments, you’d probably shake your head in skepticism.

That is what happens, though, when you score 50 goals and pick up another 20 assists in just 24 games: and that is just from his 2022 junior season. Rossitto, as well as many others around the team, is hoping next spring’s campaign ends with even more goals, and maybe a few pieces of silverware to go along with them.

Rossitto is a good student as well, with a 3.2 GPA heading into his final year of high school. He is attracting interest from various universities, and of course, he has the NIL deal as well.

Here is a scouting report on the player from a coach:

“I think the most amazing thing about Santino is that he is able to dominate games the way he does. He is just so fast, but he is also quick: he makes decisions quickly, gets shots off quickly, and moves into space quickly. That is so important when you are in front of the cage: you have to be decisive and get your shot off, because once you think about it, the chance is gone. Santino is very good at that.

“He is going to score a ton of goals in 2023. He got a bunch last year, and will continue to do so.”