Caledon Citizen’s Student Athlete of the Week: Tyler Ferlito led the Hall Wolfpack to ROPSSAA Football and Baseball Championships in 2023-24

By Jim Stewart

Grade 12 Robert F. Hall CSS two-sport athlete Tyler Ferlito ended his high school athletic career with an impressive flourish to earn The Caledon Citizen's Student Athlete of the Week.

Ferlito quarterbacked the Wolfpack to the ROPSSAA Senior Boys Football Championship in the Fall. Eight months later, the clutch hitter and big game pitcher led the Wolfpack to its second consecutive ROPSSAA Varsity Boys Baseball Championship.  

Two regional championships in two major sports in one school year is an impressive feat not lost on his football and baseball Head Coach Jason Sweeney. The veteran Hall coach was succinct in his praise of Ferlito's crucial efforts on the gridiron and the diamond.

“He's an exceptional leader and an outstanding athlete who excels in both sports.”

Coach Sweeney also acknowledged Ferlito's qualities as a student at Robert F. Hall CSS.

“Tyler's the first one to help out a teammate and a classmate. He helps out with the Senior Girls Soccer team, as well.”

What impressed Coach Sweeney the most about Ferlito were “his leadership qualities, as well as his commitment to sports and academics.”

He highlighted Ferlito's pivotal role in two ROPSSAA championships this school year.

“Tyler was a key reason why we won both Football and Baseball championships last year.  He led us to the Championship game in Football Tier 1, coming up just short of the school's first OFSSAA berth. He is a big reason why the baseball team was in the playoffs for the second straight year and why we defended our ROPSSAA championship.”  

Tyler Ferlito took time from his summer holidays to answer our interview questions and reflect on his double-championship final year of high school: 

Caledon Citizen: What qualities did you demonstrate in your sports season to earn Student-Athlete of the Week honours?

Tyler Ferlito: “I think one of the most important qualities that I show on that baseball field is that making mistakes is a part of the game. Baseball is a game where you lose more than you win, so being able to let the last play stay in the past and look to the next play is a good quality.”

Caledon Citizen: What key statistics and performance moments from the 2023-24 season are you most proud of?

Tyler Ferlito: “For me, not leaving runners stranded and clutch-hitting with runners in scoring position has been a huge part of why our team is so successful. After not pitching for a while before this season, I'm proud of how I'm able to work counts and still be a successful pitcher.”

Caledon Citizen: In addition to your high school sports team(s), what other community teams do you play for and at what level?

Tyler Ferlito: “I play AAA football for the Brampton Bulldogs; I also used to play baseball for the Brampton Royals AAA.”

Caledon Citizen: How would you describe yourself as a student at Robert F Hall? To which sports teams and clubs do you belong? Honor Roll?

Tyler Ferlito: “I would describe myself as a passionate kid who loves sports – both playing and watching. At school, I'm a huge science guy and I want to go to school for forensics. I'm a quarterback for our school football team and I play for the school baseball team.”

Caledon Citizen: What are your post-secondary plans regarding prospective academic/athletic destinations?

Tyler Ferlito: “I'm looking at a science route of post-secondary, specifically forensics science. I would love to play football in post-secondary because football is a passion of mine.”

Caledon Citizen: Who is your role model in terms of the person you admire the most?

Tyler Ferlito: “One of my biggest role models is Joe Burrow, he plays Quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals, and he went to school at LSU. The reason I look up to him so much is because he is the most calm, level-headed player on the field at any given time. He is known for not letting anything phase him when he is on that field and that's exactly the person I want to be.”

Caledon Citizen: How do you feel about being nominated as the Caledon Citizen's Student-Athlete of the Week?

Tyler Ferlito: “I feel pretty excited to be nominated for this not just because I'm being nominated, but because our school is getting recognized for our athletics. The coaches and teachers put all their time into sports at this school so that we can have successful sports teams and it's nice to see that it's getting recognized.”