Justin de Haas is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Dobson High School for AZPreps365.com

Dobson senior linebacker Michael Delligatti has experienced it all on and off the field.

Delligatti was adopted by his aunt and uncle in sixth grade and transformed his body during the COVID-19 pandemic by adding an abundance of muscle.

Delligatti said his parents were heavy drinkers during his childhood. He recalls an experience where his parents were arguing and his mother called the cops alleging that his father abused her.

“The cops came and they were questioning everybody and my dad was pretty drunk, so the cops were really iffy on the situation,” Delligatti said. “They had questioned me and my sister. My mom was in their cruiser and the cop said these were bad living conditions for the kids.”

Joseph and Janet Delligatti, Michael’s uncle and aunt, decided to adopt him and his younger sister during this time. It is safe to say that the adoption process changed the course of Michael’s life and Janet Delligatti concurs with that sentiment.

“I think he would have been in trouble somehow,” Janet Delligatti said. “I would ask him how he’s doing and he would say that he’s good. I would then look at his grades and see that he had all F’s. In the first few months that we had him, his F’s and D’s turned into B’s and A’s. If we didn’t take him, I don’t know where he would be.”

The adoption process was not the only moment that changed Delligatti’s life for the better. Delligatti has intensely focused on working out over the last few years, which in turn has made him a better football player.

Delligatti came into high school 5 feet, 4 inches tall weighing 160 pounds with not much muscle. Dobson head coach Bill Godsil said Delligatti was “a typical freshman.”

“A little chunky and a little soft,” Godsil said. “He was always getting hurt. He was always a kid we saw potential in, but he just couldn’t stay healthy because he wasn’t physically fit enough.”

The COVID-19 pandemic hit during Delligatti’s sophomore season and he took advantage of his time off. Delligatti said that he lost 10 pounds of fat and then added 20 pounds of muscle in his sophomore year alone.

Delligatti has continued to work out since then and he is now the starting linebacker at 6’0 and 215 pounds. He has grown eight inches and added 55 pounds since coming into high school.

According to MaxPreps, Delligatti leads the team this season with nine tackles per game, four sacks, and 13 quarterback hurries. He also led the team last year with 6.7 tackles per game as a junior.

Delligatti said he was always motivated to make the varsity team. However, he does not think he would be in this position if it were not for the pandemic.

“I honestly think COVID really helped me,” Delligatti said. “It impacted a lot of people, but it impacted me in a good way because it gave me an opportunity to work when others took it as an opportunity to recover or do whatever they want. COVID really changed my life, in a good way.”