Gavin Gerhardt: A man for all seasons
In the fall its football. In the winter its hockey. In the spring and summer its baseball. For Gavin Gerhardt he has always been the type of kid that wants to play multiple sports. So it was football, hockey and baseball growing up and into high school. For Gerhardt, playing sports has been an interesting experience. When the TimesRecord asked which sport of the three does he love the most Gerhardt answered. “It’s been a mix between the three. I mean, I’m the kind of kid that focuses on one sport at a time. Sometimes I hated the sport I’m playing and some times I really love it. It is just a love hate relationship.” When it came time to think about what he wanted to do after high school, the choice he made was not the one he had when he was younger. “My freshman year my thoughts were, I want to play hockey after high school. That’s where my head was at,” Gerhardt said. “But then I kind of realized, hockey really is not my thing anymore. I still want play it and be part of this team, but not after high school.” So when it did come time to decide what he was going to do after high school, Gerhardt chose football. “Ever since football ended, I’ve missed it. Once I got the opportunity to play (in college), I was like, I want to keep playing.” Gerhardt has recently signed to play football at Valley City State University.
This past fall, Gerhardt had a banner season. For the HiLiners, Gerhardt was the leading rusher with 996 yards and twelve touchdowns. His 110.7 yards per game was second in the Eastern Dakota Conference, including Class A and AA. His 139.2 All-purpose yards per game was also second in the conference, both classes. Gerhardt was third on the team in receiving with seven receptions for 93 yards. He was first on the team in total yards, all-purpose yards and scoring. He also set the school record for most rushing yards in a single game when he went off for 259 yards against Wahpeton in the homecoming game.
Defensively, Gerhardt was second on the team in total tackles, third in assisted tackles, and tackles for a loss. He led the team with four interceptions. He also averaged 20.5 yards per punt return which was tops on the team and second in the con
ference.
Gerhardt is one of those athletes that loves to compete, but does not let that get in the way of enjoying what he is doing. “Yes he has always been competitive in any sport he plays,” Kirstin Gerhardt, Gavin’s mom said. “Gavin’s always had the drive to be the best he can be but also has fun doing so, especially with his teammates.”
In hockey, Gerhardt is currently second on the Jamestown Blue Jays in scoring with 14 goals and nine assists for 23 points. In baseball, last summer for the Valley City Royals American Legion Baseball Team, he led the team in several offensive categories including OPS (on-base+slugging percentage), slugging percentage, triples, runs scored and walks.
Gerhardt has an older brother Riley, who is playing football at VCSU and a younger sister Addison. So is there a sibling rivalry? That question was asked to mom, “The sibling rivalry is more between Gavin and Riley, we just think that’s a boy thing, but with Riley in college we are seeing it more between him and Addy,” Kirstin said. “It’s a fun rivalry, like the bet Gavin and Addy have right now to see you can score the most goals this hockey season. Right now they are tied, but they are back and forth. Those are the rivalries we like to see.” Addy plays for the Jamestown/Valley City Prowl 12U girls team which is coming off a Bismarck Cup Tournament Championship.
One would think, playing at a high level in many sports that an individual may get burned out and want to quit one or two of those sports. But this reporter feels the word quit is not in Gerhardt’s vocabulary. An that is something that has been taught in the Gerhardt household. “It has been his own decision to play what he wants, but we have told him and all our kids, that if you sign up and start then you have committed yourself to the sport, your team and your coaches and you can’t quit,” Kirstin said. “We like to see him be a team player and leader.”
And let’s not forget the academics, Gerhardt along with the other four subjects in this series, - so far - Karina Olson, Kai Kringlie, Koye Grebel and Brooke Eggermont, all made the Semester 1 ‘A’ Honor Roll.
With the hockey postseason, spring baseball and summer baseball still ahead, we will see more of #2, Gavin Gerhardt, playing his heart out and loving every minute of it.