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01/25/2017 11:00 PMCorey Waselik has been playing football for several years and recently completed his career as a member of the Yellowjackets. From the time he started, Corey found his home on the offensive and defensive lines and used his size to become a force in the trenches. Corey split time between tackle and guard on the offensive line, while playing the end position on defense for the Easties.
“I’ve always liked being a lineman. I just always like tackling people,” says Corey. “High school football is much better than youth, and a lot of the techniques taught are different. Staying low is probably the most important technique I’ve learned for myself because, as a smaller lineman, you’ve got to stay low to keep leverage.”
Even though Corey wasn’t a captain, Yellowjackets’ Head Coach Melvin Wells always knew that he could count on Corey to lead his squad due to Corey’s years of experience on both sides of the line.
“He’s your quintessential East Haven young man. Nobody expects much until you meet him and see the work he puts in every single day to be a better athlete. He was the anchor of our defensive line and did a great job of continually putting pressure on the quarterback and never quitting,” Wells says. “The bottom line is he’s one of the best kids you’re going to come across in regards to making the team successful. He’s the kind of kid you’re going to miss when he’s gone because he does everything right. He’s a workhorse and earned the respect of everyone in the league. He’s competed with the best of the best and we really wish him a whole lot of success moving forward.”
Corey’s work ethic was on full display during the offseason that preceded his senior year at East Haven. Corey made sure that he focused all of his energy on working hard to get into prime physical condition for the fall.
“The whole offseason, I did the football lifting program, and it helped prepare for the season a lot. I enjoyed the offseason lifting because, since I only played one sport, I figured I might as well stay in shape and prepare for the football season, so I did that,” he says. “It was better lifting with your teammates rather than just going to the gym by yourself. You get a better push and motivation.”
Corey proved effective against both the run and the pass as a starter on the defensive line for the 2016 Easties. He made 59 tackles and recorded three sacks on the season.
“It was always important because some teams do more than the others, so you’d have to be ready for both,” Corey says. “I wasn’t vocal type of leader, but I lead with experience on the line. I was always trying to keep focus in the drills and not messing around during important parts of practice.”
On offense, Corey and his fellow linemen paved the way for a great rushing attack for East Haven the last two years. The Yellowjackets ran for 2,660 yards in Corey’s junior season, after which they topped that by gaining 3,101 yards on the ground in his recent senior campaign.
“The line has played pretty well the past two years, but it helps when you have really good backs getting the ball in their hands,” says Corey. “We were just good doing our roles of the play and listening to the coaches and letting them teach us.”