Football, Baseball
Favorite athlete: Derrick Henry
Favorite team: Philadelphia Eagles
Favorite memory competing in sports: Going to the Bux-mont Championship in QMFA
Most embarrassing/funniest thing that has happened while competing in sports: When I flopped on a fourth down drive to win the game, and the other team ended up getting a 15- yard penalty which resulted in a first down and a game-winning drive for us.
Future plans: Attend a four-year college or university and get a degree
Words to live by: “It’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, it’s about the size of the fight in the dog.”
One goal before turning 30: Finish school and acquire a well-paying job
One thing people don’t know about me: I broke my foot in kindergarten
By Craig Ostroff
Nick Fletcher waited his turn.
And for the Quakertown senior, that turn didn’t come until this fall when he at long last had his chance to step into a starting spot on the football team’s offensive line.
While he waited, he remained positive. He practiced, worked hard, honed his skills, and made himself the best he could be.
And when he lined up at center on the varsity squad this year, Fletcher was ready.
“We’ve just had some quality kids there at center in recent years, and Nick just couldn’t bust through the lineup,” said Quakertown coach George Banas. “We had Freddie Retter at center, we had Blake Griesemer play center in the past.
“Coming into season, we knew we had to find another lineman. We thought we had four solid O-linemen, but we needed one more guy to step up. Nick was the guy to step up this season.”
The result is undeniable.
The offensive front has protected quarterback Will Steich and opened holes for the running backs for a Panther offense that is averaging more than 38 points per game and heads into this week at 9-0 overall.
At 6-0 in the Continental Conference, the Panthers have earned at least a share of the league championship and will take sole possession of the title with a victory over Harry S Truman.
“We have a great mindset this year,” Fletcher said. “Every week, Coach Banas tells us we need to have a 1-0 mentality. Don’t think about what we did last week, don’t look past this week. It’s this week that counts. No matter who we’re playing, we still have to prepare as hard as we can to be ready.
“During practice, we all push each other to play harder and get better.”
Despite his lack of varsity snaps coming into the season, Fletcher quickly became comfortable with his place on the line, and after a minor adjustment to his grip, he was ready to kick start the Panthers’ shotgun-heavy offense.
“Early on, I was gripping the ball too hard and not quite in the right spot,” he said. “I was flipping it back a little too hard, so Will always had to jump for the ball. Coach pulled me aside, changed my grip to hold the ball one lace lower, one finger below, and I started getting it right to him. l like when I get that kind of feedback. I want to be the best I can be. If I had a bad play, I’d rather they tell me I had a bad play so that I can make sure I’m not going to make the same mistake or do the same thing the next time. I was able to take that and change my grip and make it work.
“During games, I just try to keep calm and work my best. I have two guards next to me who keep pushing me. And if I mess up, they’re there and other guys are there to pick me up. I’m not the biggest - most of the guys I go against are bigger than me, so it makes me want to prove that I can still be a good O-lineman even if I’m not the biggest guy out there.”
That’s essentially the story of Fletcher’s football career. From the time he first suited up for the Quakertown Midget Football Association as a third-grader, he’s always played on the offensive line, and always played against larger opponents.
“I was always a bigger kid back then, but in QMFA, you play by weight, so I was one of the younger kids playing up, but I was still smaller compared to the other kids I was going up against,” said Fletcher, who is listed at 6-1, 220. “I started as a guard the first couple of years. Then one year the starting center got injured and they had to make changes to the O-line. No one else knew how to snap the ball in the shotgun, so I said I’d try it. I’ve been doing it ever since.”
After years of hard work, Fletcher is finally at a level where he feels confident whenever he steps on the field, and his coaches have the utmost confidence in his abilities as well.
“Nick has really solidified himself at center,” Banas said. “I’m so happy he found his spot on offense. Nick is a super nice kid, he really dedicated himself in the offseason to get better. And he’s a really smart kid. He knows where everybody needs to go on every play, which is a benefit. Every week we see his confidence building and building.”
And despite being a first-year starter, Fletcher is being looked to as a mentor and teacher for those who will be filling his spot on the line in years to come. It’s an aspect of being a senior that Fletcher embraces.
“When I was a sophomore and junior, I had some really good examples from the seniors those years,” he said. “I try to do that same thing now, push them to work their hardest. Every day before practice, centers take snaps together, and I try to show them how to hold the ball, snap the ball, how to block.
“During the last freshman game, the varsity team went to watch the freshman team. There’s a young freshman center who was struggling a little - they asked if I could work with him. I worked with him, helped him correct his snap. I hope to do that with our younger JV centers. Working with them and showing them when you’ve learned is something that’s going to help them in years to come.”
In the classroom, Fletcher maintains the same mindset and intensity – always learning, always working hard to improve and better himself.
He’s glad to be back walking the halls of the high school instead of learning remotely, and he’s enjoying being able to spend his senior year with friends and teachers. With four AP classes, he’s not exactly taking things easy, either.
Fletcher is also a member of Quakertown’s National Honor Society, where he regularly participates in the group’s community service events, most recently volunteering at Quakertown Elementary School’s Night Under the Lights, helping to organize and run relay races and obstacle courses.
He is also active in his church and its outreach programs and is present at Monday Meals as often as possible.
“It means a lot to help the community and people not as privileged as me,” he said. “My favorite thing is Monday Meals, where we put together meals and serve them to people who aren’t able to get their own. It means a lot to see the smiles on their faces.
“That’s just something my parents always taught me. You give back to the community and help others however you can.”
As for what the future holds, Fletcher still hasn’t decided, though his options are impressive. He’s been accepted at Alabama, LSU, and Pittsburgh and is waiting to hear from several other prestigious colleges.
He’s leaning toward a business major and expects to play football at the intramural or club level.
And while his college options are as exciting as they come, Fletcher is the last person who’d brag about his acceptances … or even talk about them.
“Nick is the kind of kid who’s never going to talk about himself, never brag or say ‘look at me,’” Banas said. “I just learned this week he got into Alabama, LSU, and Pitt. How do you keep that a secret? That’s remarkable. He should be telling everybody. But that’s not Nick. That’s not how he conducts himself.”
As his senior campaign on the gridiron nears the postseason, Fletcher is looking to helping the Panthers continue their winning ways and see how far this team can go and how much it can accomplish at the district and state levels.
But once he’s hung up the cleats and helmet, Fletcher will leave a footprint on the Quakertown program that extends well beyond his on-field contributions as a varsity starter. Banas believes Fletcher’s legacy will be his character more so than his athletic abilities.
“Nick is one of kids you love to see, those program-type kids who might not be the star but who works hard and stays positive, and it works out for them,” Banas said. “Nick is a guy who is always doing the right things. He always shows up for community service events, he’s always respectful to everyone. He’s a great guy to hold up to the younger kids to see, here’s a top five kid in his class academically, and he’s found his spot and is successful on the football field despite not being the biggest or strongest kid out there.
“But the main thing about Nick is that he’s just a super nice kid. He’s considerate, polite, always has a smile on his face, he’s a great kid. He’s got the attitude and the mindset where he’s going to be successful in whatever endeavor he chooses in the future.”
