Junior Derrick T. Lovelace has been playing football as a defensive end since his sophomore year. Going to practice every day since the pre-workout in the summer, he has been preparing his body physically and mentally for the season.

“We practice at least 12 hours a week since our practices are from 3-6pm Monday through Thursday,” said Lovelace. He said football does interfere with his life outside of school. “Of course, especially since we’re always spending our time on the field practicing 15 hours a week, and with having home and away games every Friday night, since we’re always coming back really late while being really tired, always having to come in the next morning to watch film.” Lovelace has always wanted to continue his sports career in college. “Of course I’ve wanted to play for a big college. I would really like to take my talents either to Eastern University, UW, or Howard University, and continue to play football.”

It looks like football means everything to him, but he said, “I wouldn’t say I put football in front of family and family second, because my family is more important than football, but then again the football team is like family you know.”

Lovelace has been interested in football since he was a little kid, but didn’t start playing until his 8th grade year at Woodward Middle School. “Seeing big hits on tv while watching the football games, and seeing the team getting all hyped up is what I wanted to happen to me,” he explained.  “So I started to play football to get those big hits myself.”

Lovelace plans on keeping his head up and come back next year as a senior, bringing back his talents to the football team and hopefully win state.