Seasons change, his drive to succeed doesn't

HARLEM - There are always bonuses when it comes to high school sports being nearly year-round anymore.

There will be many teams and athletes who stand out in one, two or in some cases, three sports throughout the school year. And theres one athlete on the Hi-Line who's making himself noticed in three sports - and he's doing a lot more than just playing them.

Harlem senior Brad Cichosz is a name that is often heard in Wildcats sports, especially considering he participates in all three sports seasons within the year.

Cichosz' year starts in the fall on the cross country team, then with boys basketball in the winter and ending the year off on the track team. Cichosz is in his last year with Harlem, and the three-sport standout has been a force so far in his final year.

There was no better way to start Cichosz' year than for him to take a state title in November in Class B cross country, a sport that he has thrived in during his high school career. On top of that, Cichosz is proud of the work he put in to start the year off on a high note.

"It felt good," Cichosz said. "It was good to see all that hard work pay off in the end. Anything you want, you put your mind to and you do it. Hard work is what's winning these championships."

And Cichosz does not put the brakes on his work ethic when the basketball season comes around. His commitment to the Harlem program over the years has produced a show-stopper on the court. This season, Cichosz has been a big factor in the Wildcats' success on the hardwood and he will often be the leading scorer in many games.

Even if Cichosz racks up a lot of points, his humble and motivated attitude makes him a major influence on the court. Cichosz has teammates and coaches who respect what he has done in his basketball career. But at the same time, he loves his team and just how much they have come together over the years.

In fact, the team-oriented play is what Cichosz enjoys the most about the sport.

"Boys basketball is a team sport," Cichosz said. "You have to win as a team and lose as a team. That's my favorite thing. The crowd can get into it, too. I love having fun out there."

This season means a lot to Cichosz, as well. Every athlete has their own thoughts and feelings when it comes to their last year on the team. Cichosz knows that there are many different emotions one can have their senior year and how much they influence his goals to finish off his year at Harlem.

"I feel good," Cichosz said. "I started off my first sport with a championship, and I believe we could do it in basketball, as well. We got a lot of season ahead of us. We got to keep working, though. We got to take it one game at a time."

Thats what Harlem has done thus far, going 7-1 on the season as it nears the halfway point. Its a revival season for the Harlem boys, who are joinging the girls atop the District 2B standings.

And when it comes to all three of his sports, Cichosz does not shy away from the work that has helped him have years of success with the Wildcats.

"I love the work and the rewards that come with it," Cichosz said. "And at the end of the day, you can look back and say, I've done it."

Cichosz has made big strides throughout his career. From being a part of the basketball district championship title his freshman year, becoming a star in track in the spring, winning a cross country title and now, being a part of a Harlem basketball squad that is doing big things this season.

There is no dismissing Cichosz' commitment, talent, work ethic and success over the years with the Wildcats.

With plans to attend a college in his future, Cichosz will be aiming to end the basketball year on a great note, make some noise among the track team in spring and accomplishing huge feats for his future. In the end, the three-sport standout will go down as a very big part of Harlem's sports history.

There is still a lot left to see from Cichosz this year and many will look forward to seeing what the young star will do as the season progresses. Keep an eye out for Cichosz because he is continuing to give it his all as his senior year moves forward.