CHICAGO (June 29, 2023) - In its 38th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, Gatorade today
announced Joseph Perazzo of Susan E. Wagner High School is the 2022-23 Gatorade New York Boys Track &
Field Player of the Year. Perazzo is the first Gatorade New York Boys Track & Field Player of the Year to be
chosen from Susan E. Wagner High School.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Perazzo as New York's best high school boys track & field athlete. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Track & Field Player of the Year award to be announced in July, Perazzo joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners in 12 sports, including Nico Young (2019-20, Newbury Park High School, Calif.), Michael Norman (2015-16 & 2014-15, Vista Murrieta High School, Calif.), Grant Fisher (2014-15 & 2013-14, Grand Blanc High School, Mich.) and Robert Griffin III (2006-07, Copperas Cove High School, Texas).
The 5-foot-9, 142-pound senior swept the 1600- and 3200-meter events at the PSAL Championships, leading the Falcons to the team title. Perazzo prodcuced four national top-60 marks among prep boys competitors in 2023, led by his second-place finish in the mile at Track Night NYC with a time of 4:08:03, which ranked No. 34. He also concluded his season with the No. 39 ranking in the 1500 (3:57.97), No. 44 in the 2-mile (9:04.27) and No. 52 in the 3200 (8:55.10) this spring.
Perazzo has volunteered locally at youth track meets in association with USATF NY. He has also donated his time on behalf of American Heart Association CPR and AED classes. "Joseph Perazzo exhibited tremendous consistency across an array of distance events this past season, led by his sweep of the longer distances at the Public Schools Athletic League to help secure the team title in the nation's oldest and largest league," said Rich Gonzalez, editor of CalPrepTrack.com. "His finest performance came at Track Night NYC in mid-May, where his 4:08.03 mile emerged as not only the fastest clocking in the state this season, but also ranks among the 10 fastest in state history."
Perazzo has maintained an A average in the classroom. He has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete on scholarship at the University of Florida this fall.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the state winners in each sport.
Perazzo joins recent Gatorade New York Boys Track & Field Players of the Year Michael Pinckney (2021-22, High School For Construction Trades, Engineering And Architecture), Emanuel Joseph (2020-21, North Rockland High School), Brandon Smith (2019-20, South Shore High School), and Kenneth Wei (2018-19, Mount Sinai High School), among the state's list of former award winners.
Being a Gatorade Player of the Year means paying it forward for the next generation. Through Gatorade's Play it Forward initiative, every Player of the Year receives a grant to give to one of Gatorade's social impact partners, supporting Gatorade's ambition to fuel the future of sport. To date, Gatorade Player of the Year winners' grants have totaled more than $3.5 million across more than 1,300 organizations.
For nearly 40 years, Gatorade has honored high school athletes at the top of their game as teammates, supporting their communities and achieving academic success. From CEOs and coaches to star athletes and community leaders, Gatorade Player of the Year winners showcase the power of sport.
To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate student- athletes, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com or follow us on social media on Facebook at facebook.com/GatoradePOY, Instagram at instagram.com/Gatorade and Twitter at twitter.com/Gatorade.
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