Small, but mighty
Tyler Eddy inspires leadership for growing team
Tyler Eddy, 16, with the Avon View Avalanche Football team isn’t the tallest or the biggest guys on the team, but that doesn’t mean he should be underestimated.
Only in grade 11, Eddy is a captain on the team, playing both offence and defence. Lightning quick, Eddy is an effective receiver.
His passion for the game stated when he was much younger.
“Just watching the game on TV, I’ve always been interested,” Eddy said, wearing a Green Bay Packers hat. “Since I was a little kid I’ve wanted to play, and was just waiting to come here, to Avon View, to get to play.”
Last year Eddy played wide receiver, this year he’s playing both sides of the ball.
“Last year’s playoff game, we didn’t win, but we were super close and that was a great moment for me and for this team,” he said. “This year I’m hoping we can go all the way and win the champion- ship. We have the best team we’ve had in quite a while and it’s looking good.”
Eddy primarily plays the slotback and cornerback receiver positions on the team on offence, but contributed to defence now as well.
“We’re focusing on better discipline for one thing and improving the team as a whole,” he said. “So not putting down any teammates and bringing everybody up so we keep getting better and better.”
Eddy recently suffered a minor setback, with a shoulder injury during the last game. He’s hoping to be fully recovered in October.
Eddy said it wasn’t a bad injury, but it’s frustrating because it keeps him out of the games.
E v e n though he’s injured, Eddy is at the field for practise, helping out his teammates in any way he can.
“It’s really cool being part of a big team like this, it’s like a big family,” he said. “There are so many people, about 50, and it’s cool that ex players come back to coach too. It’s cool.”
Eddy said most of his friends are in football with him, which adds to the sense of camaraderie.
“I just want to get better in general, just with everything I can do – get faster, stronger, better at catching, better at reading the offence when playing defence,” he said.
Eddy said he’d like to keep up with football in the future.
“As long as I get to a good university with a good football program, I’d like to keep playing,” he said. “I’m not sure what I want to do yet, but I do know I want to go to a post- secondary school.”
Eddy said it can be a challenge balancing sports with grades, but he does his best to stay on top of both.
Gordon Chase, one of the coaches with the team, said Eddy is a huge asset to the Avalanche in his second year on the roster.
“He always brings tons of energy to practises, games, the whole works,” Chase said. “To look at Tyler you don’t expect to find the athlete that he is, he’s very into track and field as well, one of the fastest runners in the province.”
Chase said Eddy is a reliable receiver, with the ability to throw, catch and run the ball wherever it’s needed.
“He’s captain this year as a grade 11, so that shows his level of leadership right there,” he said. “He inspires guys, he’s always helping other receivers learn and he’s probably an A student. He’s what everybody should try to be.”
Eddy has started playing defence this year as halfback and Chase said he’s been very impressed by his performance already.
“His coverage and tackling for a small guy is very impressive,” he said. “He works on that all the time.”
Chase said Eddy even filled in for quarterback during a game when their regular quarterback was injured.
“He’s here whether he’s injured or not,” he said. “There are guys that get injured and you don’t see them until they’re ready to play again, but Tyler is here every practise, always willing to help to do anything that needs to be done.”
The Avalanche managed to make it to the semi- finals last season and they’re hoping to make it to the finals this year Chase said.
“For the years I’ve been here, this is probably the best so far, it’s the most players we’ve had,” he said. “The last two seasons I was here we’ve had 26 and 32 players, now we have over 50. Filling people in spots is easier and we’re getting more out to practise.”
Chase said good team spirit from players like Eddy contributes to positive interest in the game of football, which brings out more players.