Marc D’Amico has never been a starter. The senior linebacker has never even been second string. Each year he gets passed up and put behind a different player, yet each year he comes back bigger, stronger and works harder.

For most seniors, the senior season is a year of triumph, the year the players shoot for all-conference or, in some rare cases, All-American honors. D’Amico was just looking to get on the field.

“This summer I worked my butt off,” D’Amico said. “And I worked my butt off in camp, and things didn’t shake out quite the way I would’ve liked them to. When I came in I weighed the most I’ve ever weighed, I was the fastest I’ve ever been and I lifted the most I’ve ever lifted in my entire life. I came into this season saying that I want to start, but if I’m a backup and that’s what I need to do for this team, then I’ll do it.”

Things were not only hard for D’Amico, they were also hard on his parents, who watched him work out for around four hours a day in the summer to grab a coveted starting spot on the defense.

“He doesn’t show [his disappointment] in many ways, but I see it,” Dave D’Amico, Marc’s father, said. “But it has not for a second stopped him from trying to be the best football player he can be for Ithaca College. He’s a leader and he’s always been a leader. I believe it’s been very difficult for him, but he’s never told us how difficult
it is.”

After sitting on the sidelines for four years, he finally made it onto the field against Norwich University Oct. 6. And to hear him tell it, it was completely worth it.

“Everyone on the team, especially the seniors, went nuts because they know all the stuff I’ve gone through for four years,” D’Amico said. “They were all behind me, and the crowd was yelling my name. It was four years worth of hell all built up to going in for that first game, and it was amazing.”

Senior Mike Nowak, who starts at D’Amico’s inside linebacker position, was one of his loudest fans that day.

“We all have a great deal of respect for him because he stuck with it in good times and bad times,” Nowak said. “And when you can get a guy like that on the field, it’s just gratifying.”

D’Amico’s parents were also excited.

“My wife started crying,” Dave said. “It was just nice to see good things happen to someone who puts in all the work and time that he’s put in. I think we were more moved than he was because we know how good he is.”

D’Amico remains positive throughout his time at Ithaca and realizes that he plays an important role for the team even if he does not start.

“I feel like I make our offensive line better,” D’Amico said. “I feel like I make the freshmen and sophomore linebackers work harder and that makes our team better, so I still feel like I contribute.”

When it came down to deciding to keep playing football, for D’Amico it was a matter of what really mattered to him.

“I think it’s worth it,” D’Amico said. “Getting out there and hitting, that’s what I love to do and that’s why I’ve always played football. It wasn’t to be the tough guy in high school or to walk around campus in Bomber gear, that’s not why I do it. I play because I love playing.”