Mike Kosilla

The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become. (Charles Dubois)

Town: Ellington, CT

Position: 2nd Row

Age: 48

Height/Wt: 6'2"/245

Occupation: Kidney Farmer. Part time professional voice coach for Tiny Tim and Lonesome Eddie (Think really high notes)

College: Southern CT State University

Years Playing: 25/ 10 with the Grey

Previous Clubs: SCSU, New Haven Old Black

Bio: "Was lucky enough to meet Bob Chester (founder of SCSU & New Haven Rugby) my first day of college during freshman orientation. He has been riding my coat tails ever since. Was lucky enough to marry Annemarie who allowed me to play rugby for all these years. Now that my playing days are over it kills me to go to the matches and it kills me to stay home knowing that the team is playing and I'm not. So I go and I drink." First of all, we all know that rugby is important, but for goodness sake, he put Chet in his bio before his wife! Mike went into early retirement for the noblest of reasons. His teammate, Tom Ronciaoli needed a kidney.Not your every day situation.Several Grey were tested and Mike came back as the best match. So Mike became the ultimate team player in a sport where team play is so important. He donated one of his kidneys to his teammate and friend, so that we could have them both around for a long time to come. We certainly miss Mike on the pitch. He was a powerful rugby player, who every now and then surprised us with his speed and agility. He also surprised many of us every time he spoke, because as you have read from his "occupation" his voice sometimes matches Michael Jackson's octave for octave. While we may kid Mike about his voice being a bit high, there is no doubt among any of us that the pedastal we place him on may not be high enough.

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