Well, Tom Cillo is at it again. Not content to rest on his laurels, Cillo is in the running to be the next Mr. Health & Fitness.
Unless you’ve been living completely off grid, you’ve seen the 58-year-old Lycoming College freshman football player’s meteoric rise to fame. Appearing on the Today Show, CBS Sports, ESPN College Gameday, Barstool Sports, News Nation, Fox and Friends, and countless other TV shows, news articles, podcasts, and other interviews. When it was discovered that Tom was a Las Vegas Raiders superfan, he was even invited to be a special guest of the Raiders/Eagles game in Philadelphia, with field passes no less.
The reason? Cillo is one of the oldest players in college football history and possibly the only true freshman to take a full course load. Not only did he take classes like every other 18-year-old freshman after taking 40 years off from school, but he also took classes like every other 18-year-old freshman. He attended football team meetings, position meetings, strength and conditioning workouts, and daily football practice. Probably even tougher than all of that, Cillo made the dean’s list with a first-semester grade point average of 3.75! This translates to an A-, which is crazy good for a college freshman, since the average is around 2.8 or lower. I’m not going to embarrass myself by telling my freshman grades, though beer and bad decisions are partially to blame.
Anyway, why does any of this matter? Sure, other gray-haired guys have played college sports. The most incredible part of this story was how Cillo overcame obstacles and poor choices early in life to turn his life around and inspire others. Cillo’s story transcends the playing field. This thing is bigger than sports. Sure, he got through grueling workouts, survived injuries, and graciously managed a barrage of calls and interviews daily. But none of that is the awe-inspiring part. This retired city worker inspired thousands of people worldwide, from active-duty military in Okinawa, Japan, to seniors in the Midwest to those currently incarcerated. Tom Cillo is giving people of all walks of life the courage to live out their dreams, to reconnect with family, and to try things they never thought they could do in a million years. That’s why this matters!
Cillo, who will likely collect Social Security benefits before he graduates college, has been inspired to share his story with others and, humbly, remarks that he’s been most inspired by the response he’s gotten in return. He was so inspired, in fact, that on a whim, he decided to enter a contest sponsored by the famed Muscle & Fitness magazine. For those of you not in the know, Muscle & Fitness is the pinnacle of fitness mags and is read worldwide. The contest involves creating a biography and answering some questions. Then, it, along with hundreds of thousands of other entries, is reviewed by the magazine staff. Remarkably, Cillo was selected to compete. Then, contestants are separated into groups, and the public gets to vote to determine the winner. People can vote once per day beginning January 26th. The competition has several voting rounds, concluding with the winner being announced on or before April 4th.
According to his contest bio, Cillo stated, “Exercise brings me great joy, that’s the fuel. I absolutely love to do it. Aside from the obvious health benefits, staying healthy and fit should be fun for you. That’s a message that can resonate with anyone. Also, an aspect of health and fitness that shouldn’t be overlooked is the mental health benefit it can provide. So many people have struggles and stressors in their lives that can be dealt with or mitigated with a healthier lifestyle.”
Should Cillo be selected as the winner and named Mr. Health & Fitness, there are certain perks. Not to be overlooked is a $20,000 cash prize. More importantly to Cillo, however, is the opportunity to tell his story and inspire others by being featured in the magazine and reaching potentially millions of readers worldwide. When asked by the magazine what he would do with the money should he win, Cillo responded, “I’ve recently returned to college as a non-traditional student and, just shy of my 59th birthday, certainly fit that definition. I also made the decision to play on the football team as a true freshman…crazy, right? These decisions have given me the opportunity to impact quite a number of people in such a positive way. So, I would say some would go toward tuition, and some could help me be more creative in finding ways to impact others.” While Cillo did make history as the oldest athlete to ever receive a name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal, having signed a contract with topical pain reliever, Aspercreme, he is far from making money on this venture. He still has the bills that come with a middle-aged man, car, utilities, groceries, etc., as well as the added expense of tuition, books, and student fees.
Personally, as a friend, a local, and a former athlete, I cannot possibly imagine what he’s going through. I want to see Tom Cillo win this thing. Not just for him, or Williamsport, but for all of the underdogs out there that were told they weren’t good enough, or were too old, or simply that they were dreaming. Yep, Cillo is a dreamer all right, and I say we need more people like him. Life is short, and too often we let fear of failure or the negativity of others dictate how we live our one and only life. So, I say we make sure Tom Cillo is crowned the next Mr. Health & Fitness by voting him through.
What can you do to help you ask? Well, you can start by following Cillo on social media. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc. Second, when voting starts January 26th, get online and vote Every, Single, Day! Get your family and friends to vote as well. Every vote counts. I’ve asked Tom to post a link on his Facebook page when it becomes available. So, be on the lookout. More to come as this contest unfolds. Let’s Go Cillo! Be unbreakable!
