Todd Walker Teammate Award Winners Andy, Mike and Jimmy Vailas
Continuing a Legacy
12/11/2019 9:52:00 PM | Football
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By Grace Purdy Special to UNHWildcats.com
Mike Vailas (Bedford, N.H.), who just recently completed his senior season on the football team, has made his own mark on a legacy at UNH. He was not the first Vailas to step foot on the turf at UNH; both of his brothers, Andy (Class of 2014) and Jimmy (Class of 2013), were a part of the UNH football program. Vailas' uncles John and Arthur are also former players at UNH. As a former athlete at Bryant as a lacrosse player, Vailas looked to get back to his roots in football. Mike Vailas playing youth football.
With football being his first sport, playing since the age of eight, the transition from college lacrosse to college football was easy. Many of the moves he learned from playing college lacrosse translated to his football career at UNH. "Being able to run, lacrosse has so many different speeds, different movements, and I think that helps you show up on the football field, and as a receiver you're going to have to run so many different types of routes and use different moves." Vailas started his Division I athletic career at Bryant as a member of the lacrosse team.
Vailas' brothers urged him to play football in Durham so that he could have the same positive experience as they did. "The main reason they came here was because they loved UNH and they loved Coach Sean McDonnell; and everything that came with the football program. They've made such long relationships with their teammates, and when I said I wanted to play football, they told me I should definitely attend UNH."
Vailas' brothers are his role models. "They're the ones I always want to make proud, since they went through this experience; even my brother Tommy, who didn't go to UNH. They really enjoyed coming to my games and hearing how I'm doing, and with everything I've learned from them, I want them to be happy with what I'm doing." The Vailas brothers (Andy, Mike, Tommy and Jimmy)
In his time at UNH, Vailas definitely made his brothers proud. An example of this was when he earned the Todd Walker Teammate Award, which is an award presented in memory of former Wildcat wide receiver, Todd Walker, who died on March 18, 2011 in Boulder, Colo., while stopping an attempted robbery and saving the life of a woman he was walking home. In the theme of continuing the family legacy, he was the third Vailas to earn this award, as both of his brothers Andy and Jimmy were recipients. Vailas was humbled and honored to receive the award.
"It was such a great honor to see the Walkers attend the ceremony and to show their support for the program; one of my brothers roomed with Todd and they were great friends. It's such a huge honor, and to represent Todd and what he was about is awesome." Vailas won the 2019 Todd Walker Teammate Award
Coach McDonnell presented Vailas with the award right before the spring game on the Walk of Life in front of the Field House. "Some great kids have received this award, and in the Vailas family, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, they're good people. Mike is a very quiet guy, but kids love him and like being around him. He plays hard, he works hard and he also makes everyone feel real comfortable on how they are, and that's what we look for."
Coach McDonnell is also someone who has made UNH special for Vailas, as many of the things he taught him about football could also be applied to life. "Through Coach Mac, he's a really inspiring guy, I've learned that things in football will teach you a lot about things in life; working hard will get you on the field, and working hard in school will get you a good job. UNH is a blue-collar program and the way we play speaks for itself; playing hard and working hard, and good things will come." Vailas playing in his senior season in 2019
Vailas, who currently is an intern at York Investments in Manchester, will no doubt have a successful career due to the lessons he learned at UNH and from his family as he continues to make his own mark on a great legacy that the Vailas Family has made at UNH.
