Johnsburg’s Fiedorowicz chosen to be part of TV show
Even for someone who seemingly lives in the athletic spotlight, C.J. Fiedorowicz admits this spring has become overwhelming.
“It’s stressful,” said the Johnsburg junior, one of the most highly recruited football players in Illinois. “I’m trying not to get a big head from it.”
Fiedorowicz is hounded daily by college football coaches urging the 6-foot-6, 248-pound tight end to play for their school. On Wednesday, Fiedorowicz experienced a different spotlight when a Game Day Productions crew visited Johnsburg High School to film a feature on him that will appear on “Sports Stars of Tomorrow” in the fall.
Announcer Pat Summerall hosts the show.
“It’s pretty good,” Fiedorowicz said. “It definitely gives me a lot of motivation to work harder. I didn’t realize I was one of the top players in the nation.”
Jerome Butler, the Game Day crew’s producer, interviewed Fiedorowicz, his father Gary, his mother LeeAnn and his sister Paige.
The crew shot Fiedorowicz around school and also caught him Wednesday afternoon in a workout with Paige at Davis Speed Center. The crew saw C.J. and Paige work with trainer Chris Leathers.
“We do pay a lot of attention to recruiting,” Butler said. “Chicago is a big market. We try to find stories on the Internet, find a few stories and narrow it down.”
While in Chicago, the crew also was going to film Proviso West junior wide receiver Kyle Prater, a 6-5, 205-pound wide receiver who is another top recruit. Also, the crew will do a story on Chicago De La Salle’s Mike Shaw, a 6-8 forward rated the No. 8 sophomore basketball player in the country by ESPN.com.
New Johnsburg football coach Barry Creviston also was at school Wednesday to visit his future players and talk to Fiedorowicz.
The Skyhawks’ three-sport standout opted out of baseball this spring and is running track, where he has proven to be a pretty good sprinter.
As part of the feature, Butler interviewed Jerad Grundy, the senior quarterback who threw Fiedorowicz so many passes the last three seasons. Butler said the crew also did a smaller feature on Grundy, a fireballing left-handed pitcher headed to NCAA Division I powerhouse Miami (Fla.) unless he gets drafted high enough that he goes professional.
Last week, Fiedorowicz reportedly told bucknuts.com, an Ohio State fan Web site, that Iowa and Ohio State were his top two choices. He said Wednesday he actually has a top four comprised of Iowa, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Notre Dame. Fiedorowicz played wide receiver for three years, but projects as a tight end in college.
“I may make my decision over the summer,” Fiedorowicz said. “I’d like to try to decide before [the high school season].”
Fiedorowicz plans to make another visit to Wisconsin sometime this spring and also plans to revisit Columbus, Ohio on Sept. 12 for the USC-Ohio State game. If he has committed elsewhere, he would not attend that game.
