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10/28/2021 12:00 AMEric Dolmus has been making plays all season long for the Guilford football squad. A senior captain who plays wide receiver and cornerback, Eric is proving a consistent contributor for the Grizzlies with his performance on both sides of the ball.
Eric first stepped on the football field in his freshman year at Guilford. Eric’s friends talked him into joining the team, and he’s been working hard at getting good on the gridiron ever since.
“My favorite aspect of the sport is that I get to take all the pain I feel inside and take it out on the field. I also love that you get to play for your team” says Eric. “It’s a team sport, and everything you do has to be 100 percent. You have to leave every out on the field for your teammates.”
At 5 feet, 9 inches and 170 pounds, Eric may not be most physically imposing wide receiver on the football field, but he has the work ethic of an athlete who is never satisfied and is always grinding to improve his skill set. Eric has already received Division I scholarship offers from Central Connecticut State University and the University of Maine.
“This whole offseason, I lifted a ton. I do wide receiver drills and agility drills a lot. I also do a lot of speed drills to get faster,” Eric says. “What drives me to become a better player is the future that I can give to myself and my family if I go far with football. I want to play in the NFL and think with hard work, passion, and grit, I can make it. What makes me stand out from the rest of receivers is my speed and my ability to get the ball wherever it is.”
Through five games this season, Eric accumulated 400 receiving yards on 30 catches to go with four touchdowns. As a cornerback, Eric has three interceptions, two pass deflections, and 26 tackles for the Grizzlies.
Eric set the tone for his senior season when he scored a touchdown during Guilford’s first game of the year.
“So far, my favorite moment as a player came in our first game this year, when I scored my first touchdown,” says Eric. “We were playing Law, and I took a slant 51 yards to the house at the start of the game. It was an awesome feeling.”
Head Coach Anthony Salvati says that Eric brings impressive athleticism to the field for Guilford. Salvati praises Eric for his ability to remain unfazed in pressure situations, in addition to how well his senior captain has been performing in the classroom.
“Eric started for us at corner as a sophomore, but the most exciting part has been being able to watch Eric mature off the field,” Salvati says. “Eric has turned his academic career around since his freshman year and is a solid 3.0 student, which will benefit him well as he chooses which school to attend and play next fall.”
Eric appreciates all the effort that Coach Salvati has put into to helping him become a better football player since his freshman season. Eric knows that he wouldn’t be where he is today without Salvati’s guidance.
“My relationship with Coach Salvati is great. He’s always been my go-to guy for almost everything in life,” says Eric. “He’s shaped me into the man I’m becoming, and I appreciate that a lot. He’s helped me a ton with my recruiting to play college football.”
Aside from football, Eric enjoys hanging out with his friends and family. Even when he isn’t competing, Eric loves watching both NFL and college football games.
Guilford has a record of 2-3 at the midway point of the 2021 season. Eric wants to the Grizzlies to finish the year strong and cap off their campaign by earning a win versus their crosstown rival.
“I’m hoping we can win out this year and go 7-3,” Eric says. “I really want to beat our rival Daniel Hand, too.”