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Guilford's Gelston Trying to Beef Up Football Program

Tall and lanky when he came to Guilford as a freshman, there wasn't much about Derrin Gelston that screamed defensive end, right tackle, or even football player for that matter. Standing at 6-foot-4 Derrin was a soaking wet 200 pounds in his early days, hardly fitting the gridiron profile. But countless hours in the weight room later, Derrin morphed himself from a gangly freshman to an intimidating force as a senior, breeding what he hopes is a new contagious attitude to be spread to future Guilford football players.

Derrin was a senior lineman for the Guilford football team this season, using his big frame to battle in the trenches of the offensive and defensive line. A right tackle and a defensive end, he earned All-Southern Connecticut Conference honors as an offensive lineman for the Indians, coming a long away in just four years. A wiry guy in his younger days, Derrin seemed more suited for the basketball court than the football field, but showed a level of dedication to the sport unmatched by most. Ending his senior year listed at 6-foot-5 inches and 230 pounds, Derrin embodied the work ethic Guilford Coach Tom Unger is looking for while trying to change the culture of Guilford football.

"He really came a long way from where he was when he first came to Guilford as a freshman," said Unger. "He was a really tough, tall kid and played at 235 [pounds] this season and did a really good job. He was really dedicated to the weight room and was there all winter, spring, and summer and did a really good job. He is a good student as well and is trying to get into the military schools and we are trying to help him get there the best we can."

Growing up in Belmont, Massachusetts, Derrin began playing football in the 6th grade. His career started out at multiple positions, spending time at tight end and fullback before being moved to both lines. He moved to Guilford just in time to join the football team as a freshman where he spent the majority of his first two seasons on the junior varsity team. Derrin realized pretty early on he wasn't going to see the varsity field with the stature he had, knowing he needed to find the weight room and make it his home away from home.

"It was a pretty big struggle, when I first came in freshman year I was really lanky," Derrin says. "I had never touched the weight room in my life. I thank Coach Unger for showing me the weight room. I got made fun of at first because I so lanky, but I think by the end of sophomore year it clicked how important the weight room was. Last year I lived in the weight room every day, I fell in love with getting better and seeing the work I had been putting in pay off."

By the time Derrin's junior season rolled around, he was ready to start and make an impact. The extra work he had put in paid dividends immediately.

"Junior year I primarily played defensive end and that's when it really started to click with me," says Derrin. "My technique got consistently better, the older guys told me I was getting better, I could tackle better, and rip off blocks better which was something I could never do."

Derrin's growing strength fit snuggly into Guilford's style of football. The Indians' option style offense is perfectly suited for an offensive lineman who likes to get down field and do the smacking. Running the ball with the consistency that Guilford does is an offensive lineman's dream.

"Our coaches are offensive geniuses on how to run the option correctly," he says. "The offensive line's blocks are incredibly easy blocks to make. If we put our work into it and pushed as hard as we could, I think Duke Knapp, Eric Zergiebel, and Matt Hoey really could see how good our blocks were at pushing the game along."

But there was more to Derrin's dedication to the weight room and football than just knocking a few people down. Unger is trying to get the entire program to beef up, closing the gap between his program and one like rival Hand with Derrin becoming the poster boy for the type of drive it takes to succeed.

"I came in as a freshman and I wasn't very strong or fast," Derrin says. "But especially with Unger teaching us, I really feel the kids who do stick with it will do well. I place all the positive aspects of the program on Coach Unger. He is here to stay and change the culture so Guilford can really be a program that can compete with Hand consistently."

Derrin is also a member of the Naval Sea Cadet Program as an operations officer. He hopes to attend West Point or the Air Force Academy upon graduation, saying he'd like to play second tier football for either school. Derrin also takes AP calculus, English, economics, and human geography.

"Football is such a big part of my life," say Derrin. "I'm proud of myself and the senior class for working through all four years, it has been a great ride for all of us."