See all posts in the Kirk’s Captain Corner series

(Kirk’s Captain Corner is a regular feature that will allow Carver County residents to get to know the student-leaders of the various teams in our high schools. Today, we feature senior Prentiss Derrick, Jr., co-captain of the Chaska/Chanhassen StormHawks Wrestling Team.)

How long have you been wrestling? Did you wrestle club growing up?

I started out in kindergarten with Stallions and was with them for about four years, then started high school wrestling in 7th grade, up until now, so nine years altogether.

What do you enjoy the most about the sport?

The amount of work that goes into the sport and having so many other people alongside you enduring the same thing you are and creating and strengthening relationships.

You were also a standout player on the Hawks football team this year. What is the transition from football to wrestling like?

That first week back into wrestling practice is tough because wrestling stamina is way more different than football stamina. But I came into this season with the same mindset and attitude I had throughout the football season.

You recently notched your 100th career win. Congrats on the accomplishment! What did that 100th win feel like?

Thank you. Hitting 100 was one of my goals for this year, so just completing that felt so amazing. Having some of my teammates with me who have been with me in the Stallions youth program made it so much more special.

What are your goals for the remainder of this season?  

This being my last year wrestling, I want to go out with a state championship.

What does it mean to you to be a team captain?

What being a captain means to me is just that people look up to me and trust me, and I just want to be a person who, if someone needs to talk to me related to the sport or not, they can do that.