There are moments in high school sports where winning and losing are secondary, where particular outcomes are larger than the game itself. School sports promote team work, self-discipline, and perseverance through moments of adversity. Many athletes take playing sports for granted, however, actions that become a daily routine can easily be taken away within a moment, to anybody.
Dearborn Heights Crestwood had a outstanding 2013-2014 basketball season. The Chargers accounted for a 22-2 record, a WWAC Red Division championship, and a MHSAA district championship. Regardless of how many wins, or championships the team had, Crestwood’s arguably greatest achievement this year was sending two seniors to continue their basketball careers at the collegiate level. Along with guard Bilal Abduljami, 6’5″ senior Ricky Rojeski has committed to Madonna University of the NAIA, who has certainly not had an easy road to the collegiate ranks.
In the middle school, Rojeski was dual sport star in basketball and football. In his eighth grade year, Ricky was diagnosed with leukemia, or cancer. According to the American research website cancer.org, the overall cure rate for those diagnosed with leukemia is only a startling 40%.
“I think that me being sick made me want to become a college athlete even more before I was sick,” Rojeski had to say. “I wanted to show any other kids that were sick that they shouldn’t give up on their dreams.”
Once Ricky was able to participate in sports, he made the tough decision to focus primarily on basketball, although he had played football throughout his young life. Over the course of his high school career, Rojeski quietly developed into one of Dearborn Height’s best kept secrets. By the time his senior year rolled about, Ricky was averaging a double-double per game with 12 points, and ten rebounds, receiving interest from Schoolcraft, Adrian, Aquinas, Pine Manor, Concordia, and U of M Dearborn.
“I choose Madonna because over the last few years, I’ve built a good relationship with the coach,” Rojeski went onto say, “he runs a very tight program.”
Aside from the stats he averaged or the offers he obtained in his high school career, Ricky’s determination and journey to become a college athlete can serve as an inspiration to those who face challenges on or off the court. It could’ve been very easy for Rojeski to give up on pursing a chance to play college basketball, but for Ricky, he had the dream ever since he could remember, and wasn’t going to let a disease take it away from him.
“Anything is possible if you really want it,” Rojeski commented. “It might not be easy, but if you keep working hard every single day, then you will achieve your dreams.”
Ricky would like to thank his parents, coaches, and all of my teammates that have always been there to support me for getting him to where he is today.
The Prep Ball Report 
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