After making a strong first impression last season and earning national attention this summer, sophomore Adam Jedrzejczyk knows the area’s top goal scorers are out to get him.
The Oak Forest goalkeeper welcomes all comers.
“I’ve heard a lot of players on different schools talking about me and how they want to score on me,” Jedrzejczyk said. “I like that, though. They’re going to challenge me.”
Jedrzejczyk is looking to build on a strong freshman year in 2021 when he recorded a 1.40 goals-against average. He had just four shutouts, but often made dazzling saves to keep the Bengals (11-6-3) in games.
He impressed South Suburban Blue coaches enough to be named the conference’s player of the year, an almost unheard of feat for a freshman.
“It felt great to win that award,” Jedrzejczyk said. “It showed all the hard work I’ve put in throughout the years is starting to pay off.”
Oak Forest coach Kieran Byrne said “you never see a freshman win those awards,” but he had no doubt that Jedrzejczyk earned the recognition.
“He was absolutely fantastic,” Byrne said. “His attitude and his approach to what he was doing were wonderful.
“It was great for other kids to see that a young kid can come in and contribute to the team at the level he did and be about the team and not be concerned about himself or be egotistical.”
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Jedrzejczyk figures to be even tougher to get a ball past this season. For one, he’s grown in a big way — from 5-foot-7 last fall to 6-2.
“The height helps a lot,” he said. “You have to get used to it, though, because it slows you down getting taller. But working out, getting stronger, going on runs every day, that all helps get your speed back.”
The other big thing Jedrzejczyk has going for him is the competition he faced this summer.
After starring for his Indiana Elite club team, he was picked to attend the Elite Clubs National League training camp earlier this month in Louisville, Kentucky.
“Only 40 players in America my age make it there,” Jedrzejczyk said. “It was awesome. There were great coaches, a lot of professional coaches there training me. It was amazing.
“They taught me a lot of things I didn’t know — mental and physical things.”
In competing against some of the country’s best players, Jedrzejczyk felt he held his own. That gives him more reason to set lofty goals for his soccer future.
“I hope to go to a (Division I) school,” he said. “I’d love to go to Indiana. I’m going to try to go to some camps there. But I want to play for a big school, hopefully get recognized by the MLS and go pro.”
First, Jedrzejczyk has three more seasons at Oak Forest, and Byrne is surely thankful for that.
Byrne sees a more confident Jedrzejczyk heading into his sophomore season.
“He’s a very humble kid,” Byrne said. “He’s hardworking. Mistakes get to him an awful lot. His thing last year was trying to impress the team. He felt this huge burden on him like, ‘I’m a freshman. I’m getting to start on varsity. I have to be at a certain level.’
“We had to tell him, ‘You’re at this level because you’re that good, so just go out and play.’ Now, he knows he’s good and he knows his teammates respect him.”
For Jedrzejczyk, nothing beats making a big save, even though he realizes he’s becoming an even bigger target.
“It’s the best feeling in the world,” he said. “I just love hearing people yell, ‘Great save.’ You have your whole team on your back.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.