In a normal year, Elijah Serowsky’s high school athletic career would be winding down.
But we all know the last 12 months have been anything but normal, and Serowsky, a senior at Northeast High School, is doing his best to make sure he crams as much fun as possible into his final few months of high school.
That’s why Serowsky, a starting swingman on the Vikings basketball team, has decided to try out for football.
This year, football is being played in the spring because the fall season was nixed because of coronavirus.
“I ran track as a freshman, but I was usually getting ready for basketball season (in the fall), so I never really played before,” said Serowsky, who believes he will play wide receiver, but is open to do anything. “I even talked to the coach, and he told me to start working out with the team right after basketball season ends. I should be in good shape because I’m working hard in basketball.”
Serowsky might be a budding football star, but the Oxford Circle native is already a basketball star.
Now in his second year as a varsity player, the 6-foot-3 rim protector is scoring about 10 points a game for the Vikings, and registering about two blocks per game.
It’s been far from a normal season. Serowsky and his young squad didn’t get a lot of time to prepare for the games, so they are learning on the fly. That means a lot of growing pains, and it explains the Vikings’ slow start to Public League play.
But Serowsky isn’t worried about how the year will play out.
Instead, he’s embracing the chance to play, while doing everything he can to make sure the team improves for this year and beyond.
“I’m a senior and I’ve been playing here (for four years), so I know what needs to be done, but a lot of guys don’t because they’re either younger or new,” said Serowsky, who ran track as a freshman to prepare for basketball. “I just try to be there for those guys, I try to be a good leader.
“I just play the game and do what I can to help. When we’re in games, I always remind them to calm down. It’s a long game. They shouldn’t get down if they miss a shot or something early. You always have time to make it up if you stay focused. I just try to keep everyone calm and make sure everyone knows what they’re supposed to do.”
Serowsky knows his role very well.
He’s a capable scorer, but sometimes that’s not what he’s asked to do. Sometimes he just needs to help facilitate the offense and help put his teammates in position to score. It’s a role he’s grown into and really enjoys.
“Whatever they want, I do,” Serowsky said. “That’s how you win. You need to do everything in basketball, not just score. I try to help out with the offense. I like doing whatever. And defense is really important, too. I try to play hard (at both ends).”
Serowsky knew that would be important once he got to high school.
And not just because every coach likes a guy who plays hard on both sides of the court.
Serowsky had attended some Vikings basketball games when his cousin, Andrew Serowsky, was on the team and he watched how the team played under Northeast coach Steve Novosel.
“I knew when I was coming here, I had to earn everything,” Serowsky said. “I would watch when I was younger. I knew if you wanted to play, you had to be smart and responsible.
“I know what coach wants, and I try to do it. He genuinely cares about all of us and wants to see us do well, so I want to do well for him.”
Serowsky hopes to continue his basketball career in college, but if he doesn’t land a spot, he’ll be happy to focus on academics.
“I definitely want to go to college and I want to play basketball if I can get a scholarship,” Serowsky said. “I’m not sure what I’ll major in, but I might do physical therapy. I got hurt a lot, and I know it’s an important job to help people get better. But I’m not really sure what I’m going to study.”
He has a few months to decide, and who knows, maybe he’ll end up being a football player in college depending on how the next few months go.
“I’m a little nervous about football because Northeast is always really good, so I want to do well,” Serowsky said. “I know I have a lot to learn. I just want to try and have fun.”
He also wants to have a great end to his high school career in other aspects.
“My biggest goal now is to finish high school with a 3.0 grade point average,” Serowsky said. “I hope we go back to school, too. Sometimes doing it (remotely) makes it hard to learn and stay focused. And I really want to go back to see everyone. I see people in basketball, but I want to get back in school.”
