Catching up With Defensive Back Derick Fang

Name: Derick Fang

Grade: Senior

Height: 5’10”

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Brown

Date of Birth: September 22, 2002

1. How long have you been on the Stuyvesant football team?

Four years.

2. What is your strategy for constantly improving yourself?

Setting tangible short term goals (like hitting a certain number in the weight room) in pursuit of long term goals (being the best athlete I can be)!

3. What’s one of the biggest obstacles you’ve faced while playing football?

As a freshman, I was inexperienced and undersized. Going through football practice and conditioning was a living hell for me. But because of that [challenge], I worked all off-season to get to the right size and strength, which took a lot of persistence and commitment. Now, working out and improving myself physically [are] less of a hassle and more of a passion.

4. What position do you play? What skills and strengths are involved?

Defensive back. One of the hardest parts of playing the position is being able to anticipate the receiver’s moves and drive on the ball when needed. The coverages can also get quite complicated.

5. What was your proudest or most memorable moment with the Stuyvesant Peglegs?

Probably the first home game of my sophomore season. All summer long, the team struggled to get anything going on both sides of the ball. Pulling off a win against our rivals, Petrides, in a literal lake was very satisfying.

6. What does a typical practice day look like?

Warm ups, indies (individual position drills), followed by tackling drills, team practice and scrimmage, then finally, conditioning (this can be running gassers or holding the rope).

7. Funniest teammate?

Zhen Jie Huang. Literal clown.

Favorite food: Tacos.

Favorite class: History class.

Hobbies: Reading, playing saxophone, working out.

Favorite movie(s) or show(s): The Conan O’Brien Show and Kung Fu Hustle.