By Ian C. Beck ’12
THE ROUNDUP
Brophy wide receiver Fred Gammage ’12 has racked up almost 400 receiving yards and has scored four touchdowns this season.
But you probably won’t hear it from him.
The quiet junior prefers to let his actions speak for himself.
Gammage stands five feet, nine inches tall and weighs 160 pounds.
“Lots of people have told me, every day basically, how I’m too small to play football, so I look up to him because of his size and the way he plays,” Gammage said of Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson who is five feet, 10 inches tall and weighs in at 175 pounds.
Through four games of the 2010 NFL regular season, Jackson has 16 receptions for 337 yards and two touchdowns.
The comparison is drawn between Gammage and Jackson for several reasons beyond their size. Both are wide receivers and both make big plays for their team.
Heading into the varsity football team’s bye week on Oct. 8, Gammage had racked up 389 receiving yards on 32 receptions and had caught four touchdowns.
Sophomore quarterback Tyler Bruggman ’13 had high praise for Gammage.
“Fred is a great wide receiver,” Bruggman wrote in an e-mail. “He runs great routes and is an impact player. He has made multiple spectacular catches this season and has improved a lot since the first game. He is a true playmaker. It always takes pressure off of everyone when you have someone making plays like he does.”
As the fall turns to winter, the basketball season will begin. Gammage will hang up the cleats and the shoulder pads and strap on his basketball shoes.
Gammage also plays guard for the varsity basketball team and will likely see significant time on the court after senior guard Ryan Milne ’10 and Niko Panagiotakopoulos ’10 graduated.
Gammage said playing two sports helps him with the “little things.” He is able to stay in shape all year long and maintains his quickness and speed.
Fellow junior basketball guard Peter Scobas ’12 also spoke highly of his teammate.
“Fred is a great vocal leader in the locker room, but to me something that is even more important is how he leads by example on the court,” Scobas said. “You can always count on him to deliver when we need him, and people trust that he’ll make the right play.
Scobas said he knows Gammage will play an integral role on the team this season.
“(Gammage) will be a necessary part of the team, as our goal is to win state and bring a championship to Brophy,” Scobas said.
Bruggman also commented on Gammage’s humility.
“He is very quiet and humble and you never hear him talking about himself,” Bruggman said. “He is a fun guy to hang around with, and at practice he is very focused.”
During an interview with Gammage outside the football room in Loyola Hall, players like defensive tackle Paul Wirth ’11 approached to compliment their friend and teammate.
Wirth called Gammage a “hell of a teammate” and a “hard worker.”
All the while, Gammage sat and smiled, humbly accepting the compliments put forth by passing teammates.
Editor’s Note: After The Roundup’s print deadline of Oct. 14, Bruggman injured his ankle, and with backup Garrett Wilson ’11 also down with an injury, Gammage has become the starting quarterback for the varsity football team.