Football Friday: Anthony Laird’s game starting to mature as much as him for Sun Valley

ASTON – Anthony Laird’s Sun Valley teammates like to joke with him. One called him “dad” after practice Wednesday. A senior defensive lineman, Laird looks and acts a lot older, mature beyond his years.

He’s also a fascinating story.

In August, while the Vanguards were participating in heat acclimatization week and preparing for a new season, Laird was in Colorado Springs on a training mission with members of the United States Naval Sea Cadets Corps in Colorado Springs. His unit, the William E. Taylor Division, is based out of New Castle, Del.

Back in April, Laird was at a ceremony commissioning the USS Delaware. He was partially responsible for some rather important dignitaries in attendance.

“I was actually the kid that reserved President Biden’s seat,” Laird said. “I got to meet the Biden family, the First Lady and President Biden himself, his HAZMAT operator as well as some other officials.”

Laird is a starting defensive tackle for the Vanguards (3-3), who play host to West Chester East Friday night. He is also an incredible wrestler. Last winter he came one point away from qualifying for the PIAA Championships in Hershey at 215 pounds. He finished his junior campaign with 30 victories.

“I feel like the best wrestlers are the best football players. We’re the best at wrapping up,” Laird said. “I think shooting the gaps in the football field, wrestling just makes it that much more defined. It’s like, when you’re wrestling. I could wrestle with my eyes closed because if I feel one part of your body I know where the rest of your body is. It’s weird.”

While he has excelled in both sports, Laird has already mapped out his post-high school plans. His goal is to become an Army Ranger.

“They’re a front assault force. They specialize in going behind enemy lines, almost like guerilla warfare and trench warfare,” Laird said.

Joining the military has been a dream of his since he was little. Growing up in the Boothwyn area, he was inspired by his childhood best friend’s brother, who lost both of his legs while defending America in Afghanistan.

“That’s when I was influenced,” Laird said. “This was before elementary school. And as I grew up I learned more and more and I found out about the Sea Cadets.”

The lessons learned by a Sea Cadet are immeasurable. As it relates to sports, whether on the field or on a wrestling mat, Laird is trained to do whatever it takes to overcome the physical aspects.

“Without a doubt, when I get hit really hard, I get right back up,” he said with a laugh. “And with that kind of training that I do all the time, we get pounded by special ops and we get right back up.”

Sun Valley coach Ernie Ellis said that Laird is a very unique young man. He has coached nobody like him.

“He’s just different,” Ellis said. “He really likes the chain of command. He’s a worker. He does landscaping and is always doing something to keep busy. He’s not a kid who will say, ‘Hey coach, I was out working in the sun all day, I can’t come to practice.’ This kid is a workhorse, for sure.”

Laird has been a force at defensive tackle. He racked up eight tackles for loss in the Vanguards’ double overtime loss at Avon Grove two weeks ago. After struggling the first few weeks of the season, Laird fixed his mistakes and is developing into the type of defensive lineman Ellis always envisioned.

“The first two games we weren’t getting productivity out of him and he kind of wanted to do his own thing,” Ellis said. “Myself and another coach took him aside and said to him, ‘We’re getting close to turning the page on you and going with the younger guys.’

We had the conversation and told him you need to follow your keys. We told him that we will do all the legwork for you and tell you what’s going to happen before it even happens, trust in what we tell you and you’re going to look like a rock star. All of a sudden, he bought in. He was always a tough kid, but also one to kind of freelance and thought he could just do it on his own on his physical strength. Now he’s been killing it in the backfield the last couple of weeks and is playing great.”

With Laird performing a crucial role on defense, the Vanguards are in the thick of a District 1 playoff chase. Coming into the year Sun Valley had won a total of three games since Laird’s freshman season in 2019. This fall, the Vanguards are eyeing their most wins since the 2017 campaign, when they finished 5-8 and advanced to the District 1 Class 5A tournament. The Vanguard begin the weekend with a 3-3 record and in 14th place in the 5A standings (16 teams make the playoffs).

“I don’t think we’re getting good,” Laird said, “I think we’re already good.”

Laird is certainly well-rounded. He left his question-and-answer session explaining why business management is his favorite subject and how he can utilize the knowledge he has absorbed in class for his future career.

“The reason why I say that is because you learn how to manage people. It’s a little bit of a psychological thing,” Laird said. “You learn about people and when you ask them questions, it’s almost like you’re interrogating them, but they don’t know. You learn how to boss them; not in a rude way, but in a way where they’ll make sure you do what they want in a pristine way. I feel like that could be heavily implemented in the Rangers. So if I have to go tell someone, ‘I need you to rush this position,’ knowing that person and knowing how to ask them that (is important) because they’re risking their life for you. You need to make sure that they’re going to do that 100% just as if you would do it.”

And then a Sun Valley player interrupted by saying, “Number 57 is my dad.”

“That’s funny,” Laird said. “There’s a select few of us (who) heavily influence the team. It’s like family, I guess you could say. You have the big brothers and the little brothers.”

Once the interview was over, Laird politely said thanks and proceeded to help his “brothers” with cleanup when practice concluded.

A story was then shared about the time Laird broke up a fight in the hallway, hauled in one of the troublemakers and put the student inside a classroom where they could calm down and think about what they had done.

Ellis remembered the time he had Laird assist him with a work project, fixing up rental properties.

“There was an elderly lady who needed to move and downsize. So I grabbed eight football players and paid them each 50 bucks for three hours worth of work. And he went up to the lady and said, ‘Ma’am, is there anything you need me to do to make you more comfortable?’ The lady wondered if he was OK. He genuinely means well. He’s just that guy.”