Emrick gearing up for Windham football's transition to D1

Bill Raycraft knew of Tommy Emrick long before he roamed the halls of Windham High School.

Emrick was a regular around the Jaguars games and events, coming out to watch his older brother, Ben, take the field for Windham. 

So when Tommy Emrick finally made it to high school, Raycraft had an idea of what kind of freshman he'd be getting. Thanks to some one-sided games during that season - Ben's senior year, when the Jaguars were runner-up to St. Thomas in Division II - the younger Emrick found his way onto the field during varsity games.

"His freshman year, we were pretty good, so he was able to get into some games in the second half," Raycraft said. "I remember, mid-season, he made an incredible play defensively and got his first (interception) as a freshman. That’s turned out to be very helpful for not only him, but some of the other guys who got varsity experience."

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But it wasn't just the playing time that Ermick felt was beneficial to his development as a football player. The fact that the season ended in a loss in the championship game the University of New Hampshire left a mark.

"The experience, I definitely soaked in," he said. "I didn’t play much. There was one play where one of our linebackers broke his cleat, so coach told me to run in real fast. I had no idea what I was doing. Looking back on it, it was worth the experience. It’s crazy how much you can learn from a loss like that."

Now a senior, Emrick and his Jaguars teammates face a different kind of challenge - moving up to Division I.

After spending the last five seasons in D2, compiling a record of 47-6 - including 41-2 in the regular season - Windham will be in the South Conference along with Pinkerton, Salem, Londonderry and Timberlane.

"The whole team is kind of understanding that the odds are stacked against us, but I’d say we’re not backing down from it at all," Emrick said. "We’re embracing it and working every day to improve."

That attitude is one that Raycraft has seen Emrick carry with him every day he's been at Windham, and the coach believes it comes from having an older brother who was a captain and a father who is a long-time coach. It's why the coaches selected him as a captain before the end of last school year.

"He grew up seeing what good leadership was," Raycraft said. "When you talk about leadership, it's character and commitment, and that’s what Tommy has. From an athletic standpoint, he can back it up on the field as well.

"We talk a lot in the program about trust, and he’s in that trust club. No matter what we ask him to do, if I need him to fill in at quarterback, I’m sure he’d say OK. When you’re talking trust, it’s also off the field. I know he’s making the right choices."

While the Jaguars haven't asked him to do too many things out of the ordinary, Emrick often doesn't leave the field if the outcome of a game is still in the balance.

This year, Raycraft expects him to see more time at fullback on offense while getting reps at safety on defense. He'll also return punts and kicks at times and even hold for extra points and field goals.

"It’s that trust factor, plus it gives us another element," Raycraft said. "Last year, he was our main power back. He’s the one that would get the yards after contact. He has great hands out of the backfield. Defensively, he was at safety, where we could let him go a little bit and make plays. He enjoys the contact that comes with the game."

Emrick isn't concerned too much with where the coaches end up putting on the field though, just so long as he is out there trying to help the team win.

"If he tells me to play guard, I’ll go in there and play guard," he said. "I’m going to play up to the best of my ability. I worked hard in the off-season on both strength and speed. However I can help the team in the most ways possible."

One thing Raycraft believes Emrick can improve on will take place during Windham's preseason practices. While he's always been a leader by example, Raycraft would like to see him become more vocal with his teammates.

"He leads by example, but I want to make sure he’s vocal and that kids understand he’s in that role for a reason," Raycraft said. "Athletically, he’s just got to continue what he’s doing. He’s worked hard in the offseason to make sure he’s as prepared as he can be for this season.

"I don’t know if there’s physically anything else I could ask him to do. He’s a student of the game, he understands what we’re trying to do, and concepts and schemes. I’d be hard pressed to say ‘I need you to do this,’ but if I did, I know he would."