Hall of Fame
A three-year letter winner a a member of the football program, Valhouli was also named to WCAX-TV's Vermont All-State team in 1960 and 1961 along with serving as a co-captain in his senior season contributing in all three facets of the game. On offense, Valhouli played right half back, was a linebacker on defense, all while serving as the team's punter and placekicker.
"To go both ways on offense and defense was a miracle in itself," said Valhouli of his playing days. "Today its only offense or defense. The only time I came out of the game was at halftime. By the end of the game, you were really beat. That was when football was really football."
Valhouli recalled his favorite memory coming from his last game ever in a Norwich uniform against WPI with the Cadets trailing 7-6 with 1:30 left in the fourth quarter.
"Our coach at the time, Bob Priestly sent in the field goal unit and I ended up shanking the ball and it didn't go anywhere and I missed it," Valhouli said. "However they were offside so we gained five yards, but it was still fourth down. Coach Priestly called an off tackle play, but we took a vote in the huddle to go against his call and kick the field goal instead. I kicked the ball and it was a true kick that went straight through the uprights. I went over to Coach after the game and he said 'what would you have done if you had missed that?' I said I would have started running off the field, and he said back to me I would have been chasing you too!"
On his time at NU Valhouli reflected, "Going to Norwich is one thing, doing the academics is anohter and then playing a sport, that really taxes a person. I had to do something to occupy my time and I met a lot of really nice people along that way I'm still close to quite a few of them."
