Soccer standout backs up words

You often hear players say they would be willing to play anywhere on the field to help their team win.

Cheney High School soccer player Adam Zakrzewski doesn’t just say it; he really does it.

“I played them all,” said the Blackhawk senior midfielder. “I’ve played goalie, defense, forward and mid.”

“He plays with quiet intensity,” said Cheney coach Steve Davis. “He’s a really versatile player. Over the years he’s been a goalkeeper, a forward, a defender, which he was primarily last year, and this year he’s played outside mid, inside mid, forward and also on defense. We actually threw him in as keeper for one game.”

The Cheney captain left no doubt as to which was his favorite.

“Probably midfield,” said Zakrzewski, pronounced za-kreski. “Instead of just playing on defense, you can also go on offense and help score.”

Zakrzewski’s versatility and leadership were a big part of the Blackhawks’ success on the soccer pitch this past season.

“He’s really a student of the game,” said Davis. “As a captain, he leads with what I call quiet intensity. He’s very competitive.”

He added, “He’s always working on improving. Every time he gets a new role, he finds a way to be the best at what he’s assigned to do. He’s a guy that hangs around after practice to improve himself. He’ll work on finishing or his free kicks, which he’s really good at. He’s his own toughest critic and I think that’s what drives him a lot and why he strives so hard. That’s part of the reason he’s the success that he is.”

It was success driven through perseverance, as Zakrzewski didn’t play full-time on the varsity until his junior season.

“I saw what I needed to work on after playing with the varsity players,” Zakrzewski said. “I had to work on my touches and my speed because you’re dealing with all these bigger guys and one touch and you’re going to get hammered by them.”

Said Davis, “he always elevates his game when the going gets tough. You can tell his intensity just picks up. He reaches down and digs deeper and that helps the team dig deeper. We had an overtime game against Lakeside, and his intensity and his desire is what got the golden goal in the first overtime and sealed the victory for us.”

Zakrzewski nearly elevated Cheney to a regional qualifying win over Prosser last week, but his header in the second half hit the cross bar and bounced out during a scoreless game. The Blackhawks eventually saw their season end as they fell to Prosser in a shootout, leaving the Blackhawk senior to contemplate what might have been.

“I’ve thought about it a lot and just ‘What if that had went in?’ said Zakrzewski. “Things happen and you’re not always going to get what you want. Just the feeling of getting that close and moving on just makes me think about the next time I step out and get on a field and play again. Every time I’ll step out on a field next time, I’ll just remember that feeling of how close we were to moving on, and just play with that mentality. We fought hard and gave it our all. You can always play better and keep your head high and get them next time. You just have fun. You can’t always get what you want, but it’s just the way things fall.”

The Cheney captain’s legacy will be felt by next year’s squad, as Zakrzewski moves on to play soccer at Spokane Falls Community College next year.

“I think his intensity, his work ethic, and consistency are good examples for the younger kids that have just come into the program,” said Davis. “Team play is built on everyone working together and trusting each other. I think part of the thing he does is his ability to work hard and show trust in the younger players helps them feel more accepted and has helped build the strength in this team.”

“Coach Davis has taught me a lot,” Zakrzewski said. “Even though you may play a bad ball or pass, you’ve got to keep your head high and try again. If you’re getting tired, you’ve got to stick in there and keep going.

“Hopefully I’ll do some stuff with them (SFCC) this summer and get used to playing with a brand new batch of guys. It’s a new style of play. I’ve just got to get used to it.

“There are always new things to work on, just like the beginning of high school.”