Superintendent’s Spotlight: Brody Frederick
Warwick Valley High School senior Brody Frederick played a little bit of flag football and some backyard games as a kid, but it wasn’t until seventh grade that he decided to go out for a school team. He made the cut that year, but only in time for the pandemic to put the kibosh on the season. A couple years later, in Brody’s freshman year, he became a Wildcats quarterback and has not looked back since. This season, with Brody under center, the Wildcats played to an outstanding 8-1 record!
“The season was a lot of fun, everything I could have hoped for,” Brody said. “We had a great win on youth night, we had a great win in the Spirit Trophy game at homecoming; we won eight games this year and made it all the way to the semifinals!”
The homecoming game was representative of the stellar season Brody had this year, as he threw five touchdown passes in the 41-18 Trophy Game win over Goshen. Of course, in characteristic fashion, Brody is quick to turn attention to his team.
“Couldn’t have done without, obviously, all my teammates,” he said. “Our teamwork and chemistry, everything like that, was great this year. It’s grown over time, and this year it just really paid off.”
As the Wildcats’ field general and one of the team’s captains, Brody enjoys the responsibility of being a leader. He understands the importance of doing his part to foster team chemistry and enjoys the long schedule of training and competition that brings a team together.
“We practice all the way from summer until the season in September, then we’re playing meaningful games all the way into November; being together so much makes the chemistry so strong,” Brody said. “A lot of the decisions that were put up to me, that I made, they worked out for the most part. But what’s been really nice is that my teammates respect me and agree with my decisions too.”
While the excitement of the Wildcats season was unfolding, Brody was also scoring big in the classroom this year. He maintained a GPA well over 90 during his varsity season, which landed him Magna Cum Laude Honor Roll status. His stellar grades should qualify him as a NYPHSAA Scholar-Athlete for the 2024-2025 school year!
Just a couple of years ago, Brody felt unsure about where to take his educational career. Now taking three college-level courses this year, he intends to study business in college. He has been homing in on that pathway since becoming a participant in the high school’s Future Business Leaders of America club.
“There was a time I wouldn’t say I was lost, but I was still looking for what I was going to do,” he said. “Now that I know I want to study business, I’m taking a couple of business courses right now, and economics. I had a 95-plus average this marketing quarter, so it was also great to see that I can balance football and my academics. Oh, I’m taking AP Government too!”
As much as Brody has achieved playing football, his true sports love is lacrosse, which he has been playing since the third grade. He played up until sixth grade in the Warwick youth lacrosse program before starting his Wildcats career in seventh grade. He has been playing for Warwick Valley ever since and looks forward to taking the field again this spring with a Wildcats team that is among the perennial league leaders.
“The lacrosse program at Warwick is just amazing. Coach Kelly is a great leader, and all the guys respect him so much,” Brody said. “It shows, when you’re winning as much as our program is winning.”
A lot of Brody’s own leadership style has grown from his involvement mentoring younger players. Coach Kelly always has the varsity Wildcat players get involved with lacrosse camps and tournaments with the youth program. Brody remembers being one of those young players and loves the opportunity to give back.
“When I was in their shoes, I looked up to all the varsity guys like, ‘oh, they’re so cool, they’re so much older,’ and I just couldn’t wait to be there,” Brody shared. “And now here I am, and it’s cool to have the younger kids look up to us. It brings the varsity guys and the youth team together, and just ties the whole lacrosse community in Warwick together.”
Sports have taught Brody lessons that carry over from the field to the classroom, which explains how he has managed to strike such a positive balance between academics and athletics. Perseverance is at the top of the list.
“Never give up. You might not want to go to practice, you might not want to do your homework,” he said. “Somethings might seem hard in the moment, but if you push through, it gets easier. But the feeling of accomplishment that you get from doing your homework or a good practice, the success and the feeling of accomplishment you get… it’s really great.”
