Perhaps it’s only fitting that the acknowledgment of senior guard Jack Sterzik’s importance to the Deerfield boys basketball team turned a typical post-practice meeting into something extraordinary.
On that December afternoon, coach Dan McKendrick was wrapping up when the subject turned to Sterzik.
“Coach talked about me and said that he and the other captains had been talking about how important I am to the team,” Sterzik recalled. “It felt really good to see that my effort hadn’t gone unnoticed.”
Sterzik was named a team captain that day, joining the trio of players who had been designated captains during the preseason. That made the move unusual enough. Even more noteworthy is the fact that he doesn’t play much.
But the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Sterzik is the leader of the scout team for the Warriors (17-9, 3-6), who undoubtedly will be prepared for the Class 3A playoffs after their challenging schedule against Class 4A opponents in the Central Suburban League South. Sterzik’s success in that role, performed out of public view, is another reason.
“He learns everything about the opponent we’re about to play, and he practices so hard, if you don’t match his level, he’ll make you look bad,” McKendrick said. “We would be so less prepared for games if he didn’t do what he does Monday through Thursday. I can’t have more respect for Jack.”
Respect for Sterzik is teamwide, so much so that he probably didn’t need to be a captain. He was already a leader when the season started.
It was a natural transition for Sterzik, who was a co-captain for the football team. A linebacker and tight end, he was even pressed into duty as an emergency quarterback late in the season.
“It is different because of the amount of playing time, but I understood this might be my role on this team,” Sterzik said. “A lot of it comes down to the effort you give, being vocal and keeping the team together when things aren’t going the way you want.”
Playing against tough competition — the top three teams in the conference entered the week with a combined 60-20 record — makes preparation even more vital, and Sterzik enjoys it.
“Last year, I was relegated more to the post, playing guys who didn’t take a lot of shots,” he said. “This year, it’s been more toward being guys that take a lot of shots. I’m trusted to shoot a little more with a green light.
“It’s fun, and there’s not as much pressure. When you play care-free, you play better.”
Sterzik can see the fruits of his labor during games.
“As a scout team, we take what we do very seriously,” he said. “We’ll be on the bench and see the other team run a play that we’ve run in practice, and it feels good that we were the reason our guys were able to recognize it.”
Sterzik, who has totaled three points, six rebounds and four assists this season, doesn’t make it onto the floor very often. But it’s probably not surprising that when he does get into a game, he makes a difference.
Like many teams, Deerfield tracks players with metrics that don’t appear on a stat sheet. Called “95% points,” they include things the players do when they don’t have the ball in their hands, like deflections, defensive close-outs, staying vertical and taking charges. Sterzik leads the Warriors in 95% points per minute.
“That shows how valuable he is,” said senior forward Jake Pollack, a Dartmouth recruit and one of Deerfield’s original captains. “I couldn’t have agreed more with him becoming a captain. What he does on the scout team is so difficult, taking on the role of the other team’s best player. He’s a big part of the success we’re having.”
Sterzik hopes that success continues in the postseason. Regionals begin Feb. 23.
“We have some pretty big goals this season, and it takes everyone to help achieve them,” Sterzik said. “It’s part of our culture that it’s a group effort and we all impact winning.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
