Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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much to the media, but he's got a love for the game that's really something special," said Dan Fox, Calabrese's tag team partner at the Will linebacker position. "He loves this game." Calabrese's introduction to football came in his backyard while playing with his good friends and his friend's older brother, who grew up to be Irish tight end Anthony Fasano. In eighth grade, Calabrese was too big to play a skill position for the local Pop Warner team so his parents drove him around the state to play for a travel football team that didn't have the same weight restrictions. By the time he reached Verona High School and started supplying Kodak tion, came from mom. Doctors diagnosed Ann Calabrese with the early stages of breast cancer a month before her son began his senior year of high school football. She went through three operations, 16 months of chemotherapy and a handful of haircuts from Carlo in the antique barbershop chair in the family's house. "His mother has been his complete inspiration," Calabrese Sr. said. "We never had to motivate him to play football, but when he saw his mom go through that cancer battle it really woke him up as a young man." This October, when the Irish add their usual pink accents to recognize breast cancer awareness month, will mark the fifth anniver"He's a mean player on the field. sary of her bout with the That's the best way for me to put it." disease, a milestone that no one in the family was Junior running back Cam McDaniel on Calabrese sure she would reach. moments while flattening opponents, Calabrese has played with a little exhe was considered more football player tra energy in October during his career than athlete. Still, he punted and re- with Notre Dame. He made 30 of his turned punts for Verona. He played 60 tackles in his first year as a starter linebacker, fullback, tight end and a during the four games he played in full season at quarterback as a junior. that month. Prior to making 10 tackThe following year he led his team to les against Oklahoma this season, Caa state title. labrese's first college game in October "It was just throwing the ball around was the lone 10-tackle performance of with my dad in the backyard, that's his career. when I started loving it," Calabrese The tackles are adding up faster in said. "Then you start playing with your his final season at Notre Dame. Calfriends and you love playing sports abrese had at least eight stops in three with your friends, and then you're go- of the team's first five games. He's been ing out there and winning. And that's more noticeable heading downhill and how I grew to love football." making big stops this fall. The steady Calabrese's father, Carlo Sr., said his improvement is another testament to son grew up in a football family. He his passion for the game, even if it got his size and strength from dad. His is often wrapped in an intimidating toughness, and eventually his inspira- scowl. ✦