| Title: | Student-Athlete: Football, Basketball, Baseball |
| Year: | 1984 |
Andy Nickerson was an outstanding three sport varsity athlete at Brewer High School, excelling in football, basketball and baseball during his four years. His work ethic, skill, leadership and competitive nature led him to become one of Brewer’s top three sport athletes. Humble about his individual accomplishments including league, regional and state honors, Nickerson always attributes his personal successes to that of his teammates. He participated in numerous clubs including B Club, K Club and Key Club. His leadership qualities led him to represent Brewer at Dirigo Boy’s State in 1983. Prior to graduation in 1984, Nickerson received the prestigious Ohmart and Hinkley Award, given to the school’s most outstanding male athlete.
Andy Nickerson’s athletic prowess was complimented by his competitive drive, playing on both sides of the ball in football. As a fullback, linebacker and special teams’ member, Nickerson was an offensive and defensive threat which led to him earning All-State honors three consecutive years in 1981, 1982 and 1983. In fact, he was the only underclassman named to the 1st team in 1981 as a sophomore. He was also recognized by his opponents receiving the most individual votes in player balloting for the “All Opponent” Pine Tree Conference Football Team by the Central Maine Morning Sentinel Newspaper in 1982. He was voted on 1st team offense and 1st team defense with a total of 12 votes, five for offense and 7 for defense in the 12 team Pine Tree Conference. In addition to being the football team captain both his junior and senior year at Brewer, he earned other awards including “Outstanding Underclassman”, “Best Offensive Player” and “Most Valuable Player” during his three years playing varsity.
When it came to basketball, Nickerson was known for his clutch offensive ability and his aggressive defensive ability. Coach Frost, Nickerson’s varsity coach, stated that Andy “never gave less than 100% in any practice, scrimmage or game.” A team captain his junior and senior year, he was an unselfish, masterful passer, always understanding the importance of team basketball. Many Bangor Daily News articles note that when the game was on the line, Nickerson was a feared player who would take control of the game dominating his competitors. He was voted as an All-State player his sophomore and senior year and honorable-mention as a junior. Nickerson was also voted to play in the highly prestigious MacDonald’s East/West All Star game as a senior.
Nickerson played shortstop for the Witches baseball team, taking his junior year off to concentrate on football and basketball, which were his passion. His freshman team won the Freshman League Championship in 1981. Contributing on both offense and defense, something he had done in football and basketball came as no surprise. With his ability to bunt and hit for power, Nickerson was a force on the diamond. In 1984, his senior year, the Witches became Eastern Maine Baseball Champions with a win against Oxford Hills.
As impressive as his athletic prowess was, Nickerson was one of the hardest working players on and off the fields and courts. Coach Dick DeVarney highlighting this point in a BDN article, stated, “Andy is a fine athlete. Lots of kids have great natural ability, but sometimes they just don’t do anything with it. What makes Andy so great is that he is highly competitive, always trying to excel, and very disappointed with himself if he fails to do what he knows he’s capable of doing.”
Nickerson’s dominance on the gridiron did not go unnoticed as he was heavily recruited as a football player, accepting a full athletic scholarship to play Division I football for the University of Maine. He was a member of the 1987 Yankee Conference Championship team which was the first UMaine football team in school history to play in an NCAA playoff.
A life-long resident of Holden, Andy Nickerson married his wife Julie in 1991. They are the proud parents of two daughters, Holly and Meg. Both girls were multi-sport athletes at Brewer High School. In 1993, Andy and Julie purchased Wight’s Sporting Goods. Under Andy Nickerson’s guidance, as CEO, Wight’s has become a premier supplier of athletic apparel and equipment for all levels of athletics, from youth to the collegiate level. Never forgetting his alma mater, Nickerson coached girls’ varsity basketball for nine years and was the driving force behind the recent upgrades to Brewer High School’s weight room, making it one of the most impressive facilities at any high school in Eastern Maine. Nickerson has also been a supporter of numerous charity golf events including the Kiah Golf Classic. Nickerson’s hobbies include hunting, fishing and playing golf when he is not spending time with his family.
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Andy Nickerson and his presenter Bruce Nickerson