There is no proof that Shady Spring junior Cal Culicerto was born to be a quarterback, but a definitive argument could be made that he was destined to eventually hold down that position.
Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 180 pounds, Culicerto clearly looks the part of the prototypical field general. However, size and body type can only take you so far.
Success at the quarterback position has been years in the making for the latest Culicerto signal caller.
Cal’s grandfather Pete Culicerto played football, baseball, basketball and ran track for Beckley. Pete played on three state champion basketball teams and started on two before attending Morris Harvey College (now the University of Charleston) on a basketball scholarship.
The sons that carry the Culicerto name all became successful athletes in their own right for the Flying Eagles as well.
Vince Culicerto is the youngest of the seven boys and is the current head football coach at Shady Spring High School. He is also the father of Cal who will enter the 2024 season as the Tiger’s starting quarterback.
“When Cal was younger, I told him he didn’t have to play football if he didn’t want to. Just do whatever and I would be fine with it. He told me he had to and he really wants to play,” Vince said. “He has always been out here with me since he could and was here during summer practices. Cal has been at the ball games with us on the sidelines since he was little. It is in his blood and he has handled it well.”
Uncles Eddie, Phil, Danny and Kenny all played quarterback, as did Vince.
“Eddie played quarterback his senior year for Joel Hicks,” Vince said. “They were 9-1 and did not make the playoffs. They lost their first game and then won the rest, but they only took four teams then.”
Joey and Robby were the two non-quarterbacks, playing linebacker and tight end. Both of them earned first team all-state honors.
Danny and Phil were both members of the 1977 Beckley state championship football team. Phil played quarterback that year as a junior, while Danny was a sophomore safety. Danny moved over to play quarterback for his senior year and later played baseball at Marshall University.
Kenny was a key player on the state runner-up baseball team while he was in high school. Vince helped lead his baseball team to the semifinals of the state tournament.
Phil, who went on to play for Virginia Tech, has had a huge impact on Cal, even from a young age.
“Phil has been here helping me all of these years,” Vince said. “When Cal was out here as a kid, there were numerous times he was over there throwing with Phil. That has been since he was like seven years old. Phil will still go by and tell him stuff here and there.”
Playing quarterback did not happen immediately for Cal during his early days of football.
“I have always been tall which is a plus, but when I was in Little League, I played tight end or defensive end,” Cal recalled. “I didn’t play quarterback, but always wanted to. I knew when I was a little kid coming out here that I wanted to play quarterback.”
Genetics appeared to be on Cal’s side when he kept growing and was moved under center in middle school.
His first year of high school he started on the JV team and played back-up to starter Brady Green.
Last year, in what appeared to be another year of learning, instead quickly turned to a trial by fire when Green was hurt in the Greenbrier West game and was lost for the remainder of the year.
Although he had worked to be prepared, the abrupt changes led to a tough first night.
“The West experience wasn’t the best one coming in after that happened,” Vince said. “We had a few go down that night.”
The first full game for Cal was the following week at Man which was a much different experience.
“I felt a lot more prepared going into that game than I did going into the West game. The West game there was a little bit of shock,” Cal admitted. “Going to Man I was better prepared mentally and physically. I had more reps with the starting team during the week, so I was more prepared and ready for it.”
The poise and composure in his first varsity start even caught the veteran coach by surprise.
“That first start at Man caught me off guard a little bit. He was ready to roll,” Vince said. “I’m sure he had been waiting on that moment and thinking about it for a lot of years. He did a good job.”
The Tigers dropped a nail-biter that night, but closed the season strong with three straight wins, providing positive momentum going to the off-season which has carried into the preseason.
“I am feeling pretty good now. I think we can do a lot of good things and get a lot of wins. The end of last year was good for me,” Cal said. “I got varsity experience which I think will help me going into this year. Without that I may have been a little less prepared for the season. I know better what to expect.”
While he will be better prepared mentally, the young quarterback is also better suited physically.
“He has grown a little bit and he has gotten stronger which he needs to continue to do. He will be getting hit by men now. Cal has worked on his speed as well. He runs track and played baseball at the same time last year. He worked on hurdles because he knew that would make him more mobile. He knows the offense inside out and has been throwing that ball well. He knows it is his time and he is ready to go.”
Now the young kid that roamed the sidelines dreaming of being a varsity quarterback will be living out that dream on the biggest stage.
“I knew I didn’t have to play quarterback, but my dad played and Phil played,” Cal said. “I have always been out here with Phil and he was a good quarterback. It’s just something that I have always wanted to do.”
