Sal LaRusso: A True Trojan

For Sal LaRusso, Weston High School’s longtime PA Announcer, the reunion of the Class of 1976 at the Weston vs. Bethel Homecoming Varsity Football game offered an opportunity to reconnect with old friends and students.

LaRusso has been part of Weston athletics for more than four decades, beginning as a student musician before taking on roles as a play-by-play announcer and, eventually, the voice heard over the stadium’s PA system.

According to LaRusso, “The highlight (of my announcing career) was the State Championship in 2019, when the (Trojans) won their first and only State Championship (up until this point). We played Ansonia in a State Championship in the early ‘80s, and that didn’t go very well in the snow.”

LaRusso says that the environment of WHS Athletics has evolved over the years. “Prior to the press box, I was in a forklift. I called the game in the rain and snow in (a) scissor lift, which was dangerous but fun. Even though I did a lot of things for the Athletic Program here (football games, basketball games, etc), my main gig was that I was the band director for 35 years. That was fun, but whenever something needs to be done here, I try to make myself available.”

Speaking on what’s unique about the Trojans football team this year, LaRusso led by saying that “They don’t give up.”

“They are coached in a way that they are learning: how to be teammates, grow, and be better players. Everything is positive,” LaRusso says. “Even with the coaches up here in the booth: not a negative thought, not a negative sound. Celebrating all the things that are working really well, and you can see that, the ways that the kids respect each other. That’s important, and that doesn’t always happen in school sports. It certainly happens here.”