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***Vandy*** · 12-18-2018, 01:02 AM

674 words
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Ready for Grading

To his friends, Eric Vanderberg isn't your average High School Junior, he plays Football and Baseball for his high school team and volunteers every week at the local VA Hospital. To his parents, he is the shy kid who helped up the first player he hit in hockey because he felt bad for him. "I remember when we first took him down to try out for the Hawks, the first time he laid a hit on a kid, he felt so bad he skated over and helped him up." Eric's father Charles said with a chuckle. "He was a big kid then, he's even bigger now, not so much helping people up these days."

His parents put skates on him when he was 3 and a hockey stick in his hands when he was 5. “I was lucky. I found my passion very early on,” said Vanderberg, with already a few hockey-related nicks around his eyes and chin. “It's been my love from as far back as I can remember.”

By the time he was 9 or 10, Vanderberg had joined Philadelphia’s Little Flyers. His parents bought a van that had a table in the back where Eric could sit and do his homework on trips back and forth to Philadelphia. He still had time to excel in football and baseball at Dickinson, putting to rest the notion that specializing in a sport is necessary to make it a career. This past year Vanderberg as a junior was selected as a first-team All-State outfielder.

“It’s about creating athletes, not sport-specific role models,” said Vanderberg. “I always played football and baseball to stay in shape for hockey.”

"All this time, never once has the thought never crossed my mind that a kid from Delaware couldn’t play in the SHL. It's not like many people even know where we are. Unless their cracking that "Dela Where?? joke or quoting Wayne's World. Hopefully I'll change their minds and people will realize that there are gems wherever you look, as long as you're willing to dig for them."

His coach agrees.

"The kid had guts and talent, I'll give him that." Philadelphia Little Flyers coach Patrick Hornsby said when reached by telephone. "Every play he put his heart out there. When he first came to us he wasn't the fastest but we built him up. He wasn't the biggest, but he grew and he grew into his position. I couldn't ask for a better kid."

Vanderberg's scouting profile has him currently projected to slot into a SMJHL team's 2nd Defensive Pairing, a position that Coach Hornsby believes may be just right for his first year.

"I'm not trying to be a homer for Eric, he is talented. But development is key, he's still growing and if he could put on another 5 pounds, I'd compare him with some of the greats. But the key is with raw talent not to rush it. He's got great hands, great endurance, the right skillset to be a 200 foot player. He doesn't take dumb penalties but isn't afraid to stick up for a teammate. He is going to be great, but right now, let him grow into greatness."

According to Eric, he doesn't care if he goes 1st or last this Thursday, to him, its about realizing a dream.

“You have those days in school when they say ‘What do you want to be when you grow up? For me, it has always been ‘professional hockey player.’ They’d try to subtly talk some sense in to you. ‘Realistically, what do you want to do?’ I don't have a Plan B.”

"Of course I'd like to go first, what kid won't. But to whichever team drafts me, buckle up, its going to be a great ride."

DeletedAtUserRequest · 12-18-2018, 02:55 AM

Interesting background on Vanderberg. Lots of luck in the upcoming draft!

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karey · 12-18-2018, 02:57 AM

And the draft is looking at you, great job man. You may be the first human I have heard of that has come from Delaware Smile

***Scrufdaddy*** · 12-18-2018, 03:06 AM

Great read, always excited to see new Defensemen. Welcome to the league!

Mayuu · 12-18-2018, 07:10 AM

Nice first article, that ought to get the attention of the teams!

Welcome my dude!

RETIRED

***Vandy*** · 12-18-2018, 11:13 AM

12-18-2018, 02:57 AMkarey Wrote: And the draft is looking at you, great job man. You may be the first human I have heard of that has come from Delaware

Even better haha. Gotta tell you it was not easy to follow up Nick Brain. Man I hope I don't have to follow that guy every time I write. I'll get blown out of the water. Tongue

Snussu · 12-18-2018, 02:45 PM

Good first article man! Excited to see how your player turns out!

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