Jarod Ferguson ’18

Many seniors have a lot on their plate during this time of the year. Ben Van Der Merwe ’18 has an appetizer and a full course meal on his. Not every senior can be a captain of two sports teams, play two completely different positions and also deal with being a potential college athlete. But Van Der Merwe is not a typical senior.

Growing up, Van Der Merwe played soccer but transitioned from the pitch to the gridiron in ninth grade. “I made the switch from soccer to football freshman year mostly because I always wanted to be a football kicker,” Van Der Merwe said. “Even though I grew up playing soccer for 11 years, most of my closest friends played football, which was more than enough reason for me to switch and I’m very glad that I made the transition.”

Even though Van Der Merwe wanted to be a kicker, his background as a rugby player made him enticing enough for the Wreckers coaching staff to additionally put him in as linebacker. Van Der Merwe acknowledged how difficult it was to make this transition.

“Playing linebacker is very different than kicking, and I have to play with two mindsets because of it,” Van Der Merwe said. “When I kick I need to be calm and not focusing on anything other than the ball, but as linebacker I need to be making my pre-snap reads and getting the defense aligned correctly.” All of these qualities are just some of the reasons why the Wreckers are 4-2 this season.

For most athletes, a resume of being a potential All-FCIAC player in one sport is good enough, but Van Der Merwe goes beyond that. He is the captain and plays fly-half for the Staples Rugby team, who is looking for a return trip to the playoffs.

As for being a captain of two sports, Van Der Merwe is grateful for the unique position he is in. “Being a captain for two different sports is an honor and something I take great pride in especially because it is reflective of all the hard work I have put into both games,” Van Der Merwe said. “I’m also very appreciative of the incredible opportunity because it has taught me so much about being a leader on and off the field.”

Van Der Merwe’s teammates are also grateful to have him. “[Ben] is a great captain, not only leading the team in speeches and just being a natural leader, but he leads by example with his play and his ability to make plays constantly,” Max Lonergan ’18, fellow football captain, said.

Michael Thompson ’19, football teammate, also spoke about the great leadership Van Der Merwe displays on and off the field. “He is a great leader. He get’s the guys up and never takes plays off,” Thompson stated. “He leads us in practice and makes us better on the field.”

Staples Rugby coach David Lyme explained the decision of naming Van Der Merwe captain for the upcoming season. “Ben has shown great leadership and ability since I first met him as a freshman,” Lyme said, “His ability to stay calm and in control made it an easy decision to choose him as captain.”

College coaches are also recognizing the skills that Van Der Merwe can offer at their respective schools. “In college I will either be playing rugby or football, but I am not sure where yet,” Van Der Merwe said. “For rugby the colleges I am looking at are Penn State, UConn and Boston College. For football I am looking at either Wesleyan or walking on at Boston College as a kicker.”

No matter the accolades, Van Der Merwe is always hungry for more success. While Van Der Merwe has been eating up the competition on the field in high school, he’s ready for his dessert: college.