Athletes Of The Week: Cam Gerrard

Like many student-athletes, Cam Gerrard was bitten by the soccer bug at an early age.

Gerrard quickly learned the fundamentals of the game. As he advanced from elementary school to the middle school level and eventually to Wayne Country Day, he developed skills, and he honed them to become a standout student-athlete who plays soccer, basketball, tennis and golf.

A starter on the varsity squad since he was a freshman, Gerrard is a force at playing center back while providing the Chargers with leadership. For his impact as a player and team leader during his senior season, Gerrard is this week’s Male Athlete of the Week.

“I like basketball and soccer pretty much the same, it kind of fluctuates year to year, but for the most part, soccer has been my favorite throughout the years,” Gerrard said. “I’ve been playing them as long I could walk.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this season was a roller coaster ride for the Chargers. However, with Gerrard anchoring a solid line of back row defenders, the Chargers still had a fantastic season.

The Chargers finished the regular season with a 7-1 record. They outscored their opponents 36-9 and advanced to the NCISAA 2A semifinals for the sixth year in a row.

“Going into the season, nobody knew if we were going to play at all or have a season, and we got kind of in the middle of that,” Gerrard said. “We had a good season, and we pushed as hard as we could to try to win.”

Gerrard was injured at the end of the regular season and was unable to play during the playoffs, but Gerrard’s leadership was vital during the Charger’s playoff run. Gerrard would pump the Chargers up with pregame speeches.

Despite losing some key pieces from last year’s team, the Chargers compensated in other areas and kept improving as the season progressed, highlighted by the seniors’ leadership on the team.

“In seventh grade, coach Steve told me I was going to play center back for my entire career, and I have, so I just become a leader on the field,” Gerrard said. “Off the field, I want to hype people up and make sure we have the best season.

“I love hyping my boys up.”

Gerrard not only makes defensive plays from the back row, but he also can make plays on the other side of the pitch, recording six career assists.

He said what makes the Chargers such a well-oiled machine is their brotherhood and trust in each other.

“I like doing my part and helping the team out as much as I can,” Gerrard said.

Gerrard has devoted plenty of time to soccer, but he has not neglected his studies. He maintains a high grade-point-average and has taken several college-level courses.

His goal is to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, but before Gerrard begins his next journey, he has relished his time playing sports at Wayne Country Day.