While some paths in life could be considered more straightforward than others, Victor Wyrick has been forced onto a path fraught with hurdles and hardship, and has met it with drive and determination.
Wyrick, 23 years old, battled his way back from a potentially career-ending injury and now wears number 34, as a wing guard for Sinclair Community College’s men’s basketball team.
Four years ago, Wyrick was forced into a back brace after fracturing two of his lower vertebrae during basketball practice at Massa Mutten Military Academy in Woodstock, VA.
Wyrick and another player both went up for a rebound, Wyrick was pushed back in mid-jump and the opposing player landed on top of his chest, arching his back to the breaking point.
After graduating from Roger Bacon High School in 2008, Wyrick had enrolled in the military academy with the hopes of earning a college scholarship through basketball, and he said that his family and friends were disheartened, but very supportive after the injury that had unexpectedly and abruptly altered his plan.
“I just thought that I pulled a muscle,” said Wyrick. “I actually played for like a month on it. And then when I went home for Christmas break, I got a CAT scan and they told me it was broken.”
Wyrick spent almost eight months in a back brace, while strictly focusing on his classes and physical therapy exercises.
In that time, he also dealt with the angst and the depressing acceptance of forced inactivity as a life-long athlete.
Coming from a family that’s big on sports, Wyrick grew up playing basketball, baseball, volleyball and football.
After attending Casper College in Wyoming, Wyrick worked in landscaping and attributes that experience as being a major motivating factor in his decision to continue his education.
Wyrick decided to enroll at Sinclair and after recovering from another injury, this time a sprained ankle, he joined the last three weeks of open tryouts and made the team.
It is still early on and men’s basketball head coach Jeff Price said the team is still developing, but he is optimistic and looks forward to seeing how Wyrick progresses this season.
“Our job is not always about winning basketball games. It’s about helping young people get from point A to point B, said Price. “We saw an opportunity with a young man that wanted to get better.”
Wyrick’s goal at Sinclair is to earn straight A’s and to ultimately get that elusive scholarship to a four-year university.
Wyrick feels that he is playing at 100 percent capacity and is confident in himself and the team.
“Vic, he plays the game with a lot of intensity. All the work he puts in is at such a high, intense level that I know if I match his intensity, I’m getting better… as a player and as a person,” said teammate Eli-Sha Campbell. “We all push ourselves to the point where we’re all pretty much exhausted. Seeing Vic, just as tired as us, but continuing to go 110 percent with everything that he is doing, it helps me look at it from another perspective.”
Campbell and Wyrick have been working together on the court, but got to know each other better and became friends while attending a Sinclair women’s volleyball game.
Along with his discipline, Campbell also praised Wyrick for being good natured, genuine, respectful and humble.
He said that the team is having a great time together while preparing for the upcoming season, and that Wyrick has only added to the bond and family-like feel to the team.
“I think that we have a really good squad,” said Wyrick. “We have a real good shot at winning the league… and doing some damage in the tournament.”