University of South Carolina Aiken Athletics

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, sacrifice and most of all, love for what you are doing or learning to do.” – Pele

Hard work, perseverance, learning, sacrifice and love for the sport of soccer could easily describe University of South Carolina Aiken redshirt-senior Edmund Eastick. The fifth-year standout has been a leader on the team for a number of years and he embodies everything that is right about the sport.

Eastick has overcome multiple injuries that forced him to miss a substantial amount of time on the pitch, yet he overcame each injury to perform brilliantly for head coach Ike Ofoje.

Eastick, a defender/midfielder from Dorset, England, grew up not necessarily worrying about trying to get to the United States to play soccer. He played on a squad in England that was rather well known, and he helped his team reach the finals during several tournaments. Several companies knew about the team, and one company, United Sports, attended a scrimmage in which 28 selected players competed. Footage of the game was sent to different colleges in the United States.

“When I was much younger my parents would take me to watch my older brother Jake play football,” Eastick said. He was always the much more talented out of the both of us when it came to the sport. He has always been and always will be the player I aim to reach, no matter how hard it will be to get there.”

He played on a squad in England that was rather well known. Eastick helped his team make it to the finals during several tournaments and several companies knew about the team.

One company, United Sports, attended a scrimmage that 28 selected players had a chance to compete in. Footage of the game was sent to different colleges in the United States.

“I had eight offers to play soccer,” Eastick stated. “I spoke to Scott Newby (former USC Aiken standout). He said the team was like a family, which interested me. I was also told that USC Aiken was a highly competitive school as well, which was an important part of the process for me.”

On the other end, Ofoje liked several attributes of Eastick.

“Some of the traits that attracted me to him were his demeanor and overall character,” Ofoje stated. “His parents wanted nothing but to support him in every way through college.”

During his rookie campaign in 2011, Eastick performed well enough to see time in 14 matches, earning nine starts. He accounted for three points on a goal and an assist. One of the most memorable moments of his time as a Pacer came when he found the back of the net for the first time.

“We played at Francis Marion when I scored my first goal,” Eastick said. “As soon as the ball left my foot, Newby jumped on me as it was going in. I didn’t know what to do with myself, but it was truly a memorable experience.”

Near the end of his freshman year, Eastick started having issues with his quadriceps. However, being a competitor, he wrapped it and continued to play through the pain.

“That was one of the worst things I could have done,” Eastick explained. “It wasn’t healed coming into my sophomore season because I had played during the spring instead of giving it time to heal properly.

“During our last scrimmage of the preseason, I netted the lone goal in the team’s 1-0 victory. I continued to have trouble throughout the year, allowing me to only play in four matches.”

As a junior, he was still not 100 percent, but it did not stop him.

“I went out and competed, but I had not prepared myself enough for that season,” Eastick said. “The players coming in were strong, as was our team. However, the record was not an indication of how strong our team was.”

Wanting to overcome the injury that plagued him, Eastick headed into the 2014 season as one of the strongest players on the team.

“I came in fit during the preseason and was ready to play,” Eastick stated. “I knew it was my last year; I worked hard in the summer and passed all the fitness tests. Coach Ofoje told me how good I looked during practice and was mentioned how happy he was that I was healthy during the last practice of the preseason. About 10 minutes later, I got injured.

“I wanted to come back and play, but I was unable to be at the level that I needed to be. Because of this, everyone decided that a redshirt season was a better idea.”

Eastick was tabbed captain starting in 2013 and in the banner season for USC Aiken in 2014, Eastick supported the team as best he could. He helped out as much as possible during the matches and at practice. Seeing his team compete in its first-ever NCAA Tournament, Eastick’s drive to get back onto the pitch and remain healthy for one full year of competition led him to where he is now.

“This year, it has been amazing,” Eastick stated. “We have such a talented team – and it is one of the most talented teams I’ve ever been a part of. Each spot has two or three players that are really good and are able to play.

“More importantly, we are like a family on and off the pitch. We are closely connected and it is great to have that type of experience.

“My time here has been unforgettable. I had a chance to come here and play and I’ve loved every minute of it. Aside from the injuries, I wouldn’t take anything back. Coming to USC Aiken, I’ve been able to mature a lot and I’ve changed for the better. It has been an amazing experience and I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

“It wasn't until after high school that I began to find my feet. A local coach, Andy Harris, gave me the confidence and advice, which started this unforgettable journey. Without Andy, my brother, mom, dad and previous teammates, I would not be here today, which is why I owe them everything. They are the reason why I work so hard to accomplish my dreams.”

Eastick has shown his love for the game and his determination to be a part of greatness by overcoming the injuries that forced him to miss nearly two full seasons. He pushed to get into shape and now wants to experience everything that the rest of his teammates did during a magical 2014 season.
 
Eastick will be remembered for being a USC Aiken soccer captain, for his fighting spirit and for his success story.