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12/21/2016 11:00 PMEryk Derda became interested in football after seeing the passion displayed by the New York Giants during their historic upset of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 42. Eryk possessed that same type of passion when it was his turn to play football and it helped him push through a nagging injury this fall.
Eryk was all set to go for his senior season as a captain with the Guilford football squad when he was set back by a groin injury during a preseason camp. Instead of sitting out, Eryk showed his true toughness by playing in all 10 games for the Indians this year and averaging 5.2 yards per carry to go with five touchdowns.
“We were at the Yale Camp and I was doing drills and I tweaked my groin. I played through it and it kept getting worse, but now I’m going to physical therapy for it, and it’s getting much better,” says Eryk, a running back/cornerback. “I talked to [Head Coach Mike Eagle] and he let me sit out some practices, so I would be good to go for a game. It was the best thing to do in that situation.”
According to Coach Eagle, one never would have known that Eryk was playing through an injury because he simply went out there and gave his all every day without complaining about it.
“Eryk is a total team leader who is trustworthy, respectful, and admired. Eryk was admired and respected by the entire team and our coaching staff. He always put the needs of his teammates first. He is a leader by example and through his positive actions,” says Eagle. “He was a fiery competitor and had a willingness to work to his fullest potential each and every day. He played the entire season with a nagging, painful injury, never complaining, always giving his all. I and the coaches would like to wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”
While Eryk may have had to “wrap” himself around the injury, the support of his teammates helped him get a grip when it came to enduring any pain. One of the biggest moments for Eryk and the Indians came on Oct. 6, when they earned a 31-14 win at Creed-Career-Whitney Tech, with Eryk rushing for 87 yards on four carries, including an 70-yard touchdown run.
“I just used some wrap before games and had a huge wrap on my leg, but my teammates looking up to me really helped push me,” Eryk says. “The Creed game was great. I had a long touchdown run and we all performed well as a team.”
Eryk says there was a mutual feeling of trust among he and his teammates and, as a tailback, he knows that showing loyalty to one’s line is crucial to succeed in the ground game. It was that same respect from his peers that earned Eryk the honor of captaining the Indians this season.
“You just have to trust in your offensive line with their reads and believe that their blocks will be there for you,” he says. “I’m grateful to be chosen by my teammates as captain. They looked up to me and having the responsibility of leading the team was pretty cool.”
Eryk concludes by discussing how the time he spent with the Guilford football team each year has helped prepare him for whatever the road of life will throw at him.
“The players and coaches helped make a tough sport fun and Guilford football taught me how to push myself to the limit,” says Eryk, who thanks his family, girlfriend, and all of the Guilford players and coaches. “It all translates well to school, job, and other things in life.”