Marisa Rose Bowl: East Brunswick's Tobias Neuberger a modern-day Renaissance man

EAST BRUNSWICK – To Tobias Neuberger, the Marisa Rose Bowl is more than a chance to play football one last time; it’s an opportunity to give back to those less fortunate.

“It puts a smile on my face, literally and figuratively, to help these people,” said Neuberger, an East Brunswick High School senior.

The lead running back for his team last season, Neuberger is one of six players representing East Brunswick in the Marisa Rose Bowl, which kicks off at Woodbridge High School’s Nicholas A. Priscoe Stadium on June 29 at 7 p.m.

Neuberger was East Brunswick’s Most Improved Player and Offensive Player of the Year. He also received a Bill Denny Scholarship and was a Greater Middlesex Conference Scholar-Athlete recipient. A two-sport athlete who throws the discus in the spring, Neuberger earned a Most Improved Award in track and field, as well.

His success in the classroom was equally impressive. Owner of a 4.06 GPA, Neuberger took numerous Advanced Placement and honors classes. He is fluent in Spanish and German, thanks to his parents, and is a member of the German Honor Society and French Honor Society. A modern-day Renaissance man, Neuberger also plays the piano and violin.

The core of Neuberger’s identity, however, isn’t academics or athletics. He is driven by a desire to help those around him, especially those who are less fortunate.

“It gives me a nice feeling when I'm able to help other people,” Neuberger said. “And I just think that some people, they aren't as fortunate as others. And, some people might be unluckier than other people, and I don't think that's fair. So, if I can do the most that I can to help those people in need have a positive life, then I will try to do that just because everybody doesn't get the same luck in life.”

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Neuberger’s passion for community service began during the COVID-19 pandemic. He and his mother bought materials to make masks, which they sewed together, decorated, and took to a local hospital, where patients suffering from COVID-19 received letters from Neuberger.

So, when the opportunity to take part in the Marisa Rose Bowl came up, Neuberger jumped at the chance.

“If I can do something to help other people, and I'm going to try and participate in that event, and then I also get to play football while doing it,” Neuberger said. “That's what I like doing.”

As a player in the Marisa Rose Bowl, Neuberger was among the game participants who visited Lakeview School in Edison on June 2 to assist students with special needs. Neuberger said what he gained while being at the school was invaluable.

“It was a truly eye-opening experience because I was able to see things from a different perspective,” Neuberger said. “In a way, I was ignorant to the subject, because I was never able to experience that firsthand until I got to the school.”

Neuberger specifically remembers helping a visual- and hearing-impaired student who used his sense of touch to communicate.

“We would teach him how to feel the difference between his crackers and his chips,” Neuberger said. “And then he would tell us what he wanted using different symbols.”

The interaction made Neuberger better understand and appreciate what he has in his life and made him want to help people even more.

“Your eyes get opened up to that idea that some people struggle every day and your small inconveniences might be nothing compared to what they have to go through every day,” Neuberger said.

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East Brunswick football coach Andy Steinfeld said Neuberger’s desire to help those around him was also evident in his role as a teammate. He gave an example from last season when a scuffle broke out in a game.

“Our quarterback, Ben Solimini, was on the bottom and Toby was one of the first ones there to break it up because he’s a good teammate,” Steinfeld said.

Solimini, who amassed 1,485 yards from scrimmage last season, will join Neuberger in the offensive backfield for Team Rose against Team Marisa in the intra-county charity all-star game, which features Middlesex County’s top graduating high school seniors.

Their high school teammates – Omar Rackley (guard), Andrew Safara (tackle), and Kevin McMillion (center) – will be showcased on the offensive line. The sixth East Brunswick representative in the game, C.J. Gardner, will play defensive end.

All proceeds from the contest will benefit The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital of New Brunswick, and the Lakeview School.

Steinfeld spoke on why he felt Neuberger was the perfect player to represent the Bears in the Marisa Rose Bowl.

“He cares about his community,” Steinfeld said. “You don't see that much a lot anymore. He's an old-school type of player.”

After the game, Neuberger is going to Rutgers University in the fall, studying political science. He dreams of working with the U.N., putting his fluency in different languages to use.

“The U.N., they're known for helping people,” Neuberger said. “I love helping people and it makes me happy being able to help people.

“So, if I would be able to do that using my skills, then that would be perfect.”

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: East Brunswick's Tobias Neuberger a modern-day Renaissance man