Those were the days: Catching up with Swampscott alum Richard Dedrick
SWAMPSCOTT, Mass. — Richard Dedrick and his family have been known in Swampscott for generations. Dedrick’s great-grandfather, William, was the first of his line to reach the area, after immigrating from Nova Scotia in 1892. Rich was born in 1955 and raised in the Swampscott Veterans housing project, on Cherry Street, alongside his five siblings. Like his parents and grandparents before him, Dedrick was captured by Swampscott’s charm and built much of his life around the intricacies of this town.
Dedrick moved out of the veteran’s housing projects at age five and quickly became involved in sports at Hadley School. “Some of the kids I grew up with were awesome at sports,” Dedrick explains, answering what motivated him athletically at a young age. He attributes his interest in athletics to Swampscott’s strong sports culture. From Little League to the Pop Warner programs, Swampscott provided him with the right people to push his athletic limits. “I had some really great coaches and teammates,” he states.
Dedrick’s most vivid athletic memories started when he enrolled at Swampscott High School as a freshman in 1971 and competed on the varsity football team, standing tall at 6’5″.
Dedrick experienced many highs and lows with the Swampscott football program.
“I got hurt at a football camp when I was a sophomore in 1970.” He explains, “Eventually they brought me to a hospital in Manchester, and they found out I had mononucleosis, which causes organ enlargement. A day later, now at Lynn Hospital, they found a ruptured spleen, and I underwent emergency surgery to remove it.”
Dedrick also suffered two concussions in football in the beginning of his senior year, and doctors wouldn’t let him return to the game. Big Blue coaches gave him an opportunity to coach the Freshman football team, something he enjoyed doing; it “kept me out of trouble,” he says.
Playing as a senior at Swampscott High was a tricky time for Dedrick as expectations mounted. “I expected a scholarship to play college football and was disappointed. “My younger brother, Billy, went to UNH along with many of my Big Blue teammates, and they got full boats.”
Named basketball captain in his senior year, He would receive a basketball scholarship, in the form of financial aid, to Bates College in Maine. There, he played basketball and baseball but left after a year and continued his work as a contractor and carpenter. Dedrick served as an IAABO referee for many high school games and basketball park leagues for 20 years and coached many local Swampscott teams. He also served as a Swampscott recreation commissioner for ten years till 1996 before moving to Florida in 2001.
Dedrick’s lifelong interest and talent in athletics was no coincidence. Surrounded by family members with strong athletic aspirations, Dedrick likely felt he had no choice but to become great. To list a few, Dedrick’s grandfather, Jonathan, played minor league baseball. Uncle Bill played Football in Norwich with pro offers. Dedrick’s father, Jack, played for
Swampscott High, in 1942, enrolled in the Marines, and fought in Korea. His sister, Mary ‘75, and Kathy ‘77, both ran track for Swampscott; lastly, his brother-in-law, Mike Jauron, was quarterback for Swampscott High School. Military enrollment and athletic successes were common amongst this list.
Dedrick’s memories from his time at Swampscott High School carried with him all the way to 2004 when Dedrick suffered a stroke.
“In Florida, I had a stroke when I was 49 years old and lost my ability to speak and write my own name, for some time, but it all came back to me finally. John Hoffman, my Big Blue teammate, suffered a stroke; at the same time in Swampscott. We both experienced multiple concussions in H.S. John was a longtime assistant football coach for the Big Blue.
“After meeting John in 2010, I realized John was in a wheelchair, and he had lost his mobility. I felt guilty when we first met, his injury was physical, and he went through a lot of complications.”
Despite suffering a potentially deadly accident, Dedrick speaks more about his guilt and sorrow for his high school teammate than his own pain. Dedrick now lives in Englewood, Florida, and John still lives in Swampscott. It’s been years since they played football together in high school, but Dedrick’s empathy still burns strong for his teammate.
Dedrick spoke about the friends and family who have taken care of John since his stroke. “I talked to him recently and to his caretaker, and I appreciate all she and others have done for him.”
Dedrick, now 68, has since retired from carpentry. That’s not the end of his football story, however, Dedrick now runs a Facebook sports page called Big Blue Sports, which highlights generations of successful sports teams’ history at Swampscott High, and ties in his passion for art.
“‘I do Swampscott beach scenes and find old black and white photos of my football team and do them in color. My history is told in black and white. I’m proud of my Big Blue Sports page on Facebook, it is the history of Swampscott sports.”
“I have a reunion I’m going to next month; it’ll be good to see everybody. Of course, there are people missing that have passed away, and I feel very fortunate to be healthy right now,” Dedrick says.
It’s not the pathway that nearly led him to a football career, but rather his teammates and coaches that make him proud to be a part of the Big Blue. It’s his relationships that keep him coming back to Swampscott and have led him to raise his kids and grandchildren in Swampscott too.
“My grandkids are probably playing T-ball in Swampscott as we’re speaking now.” The beaches, proximity to summer destinations, and athletic prowess are all wonderful things about Swampscott. But it’s the people and generational commitment that keeps community members like Richard Dedrick coming back to Swampscott after a long time away from his roots.
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