A Wizard’s Path: Hugue Zulme

For Washingtonville High School senior Hugue Zulme, sports are where he comes alive. As a dedicated defensive tackle in the fall and a shot putter in the winter, Hugue has done more than block offenses and hit targets, he has built strength, confidence and genuine friendships along the way.

He capped off his final football season with standout individual performance recognitions, finishing in the Section IX top 14 for his position and earning MaxPreps’ Washingtonville “Player of the Game” honors for his efforts against both Minisink and Pine Bush.

Looking back, however, Hugue admits his love for football didn’t come instantly.

“I didn't like football growing up,” he said. “But I decided to give it a try. When I started freshman year, I didn’t like it at all. I wasn’t good whatsoever. But something about that game we had at Newburgh woke something up inside me.”

He had been benched all game, and the Wizards were losing badly, when his coach put him in for the very first time.

“So the coach put me on the field for special teams on kick return,” he said. “The Newburgh guys were coming and I had to protect the returner. The guy hit me, and sent me like five yards back,” he laughed. 

“It was a humbling moment, but it made me realize I could do so much more.”

That spark carried Hugue into his next season, when he transitioned to defensive end. Determined to improve, he spent the summer training in the gym and building strength, while also forming strong bonds with his teammates. 

“Coming out of that season, I got stronger, more athletic and started understanding the game more,” he said. “During that time, we also do stuff with the team to build more chemistry with each other and get ready for the upcoming season.”

Outside of football and track, Hugue has a deep love for music. He played saxophone in the school band freshman year, but as his academic and athletic goals grew, he made the decision to step back and focus more on sports.

This season, Hugue played defensive tackle for the Wizards, a role that demands both mental and physical discipline. 

“It feels like a huge responsibility because you're the first ones to put a stop onto the offense,” he explained. “Me and the rest of the defensive linemen take our role seriously.”

The position requires strength, footwork, hip mobility and, as Hugue described it, explosiveness. 

Mentally, he approaches it with focus – and humor. 

“It’s fun, but you know it’s going to come with a lot of pain, mostly in the fingers,” he explained. “Because sometimes you collide awkwardly and overextend them. There’s a lot of taping, and it can be pretty annoying.”

But despite the aches, he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“I feel like I can just be myself whenever I play football now. When I'm at school, I'm usually quiet and keep to myself, but when I play football – or any sport in general – I feel more alive and I feel more open to people.”

A highlight of the season was Homecoming, when the Wizards won 35-7 under the Friday night lights, but the real moment for Hugue was being honored during Senior Night.

“All I could think about was how far me and all the seniors have come and that I’m going to miss all these seniors, and the underclassmen, and just the school in general, because it all sort of matured me.” 

Looking ahead, Hugue plans to major in exercise science, with the goal of becoming either an athletic trainer or physical therapist. His interest comes from his love for sports, and from years of watching the Wizards’ athletic trainer in action. 

“This mainly started because I was always in my trainer’s office,” he said. “Sometimes I’d go even when I didn’t need anything, just watching him help athletes, taping, checking for concussions, helping people stretch. It just seemed fun, and like something I’d want to do.”

Hugue also helps his dad manage back pain at home. 

“My dad says I’d be a really good physical therapist,” he added. “So I figured since I love sports, and I love helping people, why not pursue it?”

For now, Hugue is focusing on finishing the school year strong, and hopefully breaking records in shot put this winter. He is also busy applying to colleges, where he also plans to continue his athletic journey in either football or track. His top three school choices are Syracuse, Buffalo and Cortland. 

As he reflects on his high school journey and the lessons learned along the way, Hugue’s advice to other student athletes is to remember that passion and preparation can go hand in hand.

“Don’t be afraid to have a plan for sports and something else. I’ve been told I could go to the NFL, but life is unpredictable. Even if I could get there, I still want athletic training or physical therapy as options just for the sake of preparation.”