Notre Dame Prep linebacker Brock Locnikar views himself as a weapon on the gridiron. The linebacker wants to “inflict as much damage on an offense” as he can when he takes the field, which is fitting because he looked like a heat-seeking missile on his way to a 157-tackle junior season for the Saints.
Turns out inflicting damage is something he’s used to.
Since he was a child, Locnikar competed in combat sports, partaking in over 30 youth fights, and he still trains with professional fighters Paulo Borrachinha and Jarod Trice when they are prepping for fights.
“I feel like it really helps benefit me as a football player,” Locnikar said. “It makes me lose my inhibitions when going for a tackle, for example. I can just keep pushing my body beyond it’s limits.
Brock comes from a combat family. Mike Tyson lived with the Locnikars when Brock was three years old. Brock’s father was Tyson’s fight doctor, and he is still a family friend.
Notre Dame Prep coach George Prelock lovingly calls his linebacker “Head Case.”
“He plays with no fear, plays downhill. He’s everything a head coach would want for sure,” Prelock said.
Turns out “Head Case” is Harvard-bound.
The linebacker attacks the classroom with the same ferocity he attacks opponents with on the field or in the ring, sporting a 4.1 GPA. He holds offers from Georgetown, Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Rice, Abilene Christian, Columbia, South Dakota State, Penn, Holy Cross, New Mexico State and Colgate.
He made his commitment to the Crimson Tuesday morning.
“I thought Harvard was the best thing for the rest of my life,” Locnikar said. “I really, really enjoyed their football program and the coaches that they had. I felt like it was a great fit for me both academically, athletically and location-wise because I really like the city of Boston.”
Now that he has his college decision out of the way, he can be laser-focused on leading the Saints’ defense and preparing for Harvard.
“I would like to make an impact as soon as possible,” Locnikar said. “Hopefully I’ll be getting some good playing time soon and hopefully I can prove myself…and win some games.”
