As a student at Central, senior Nick Czarnowski has excelled both academically and athletically. It is because of this excellence that Czarnowski was awarded the Central Times’ Male Athlete of the Year. Czarnowski has played on varsity basketball all four years, holds Central’s record of third all-time lead score and first all-time in rebounding and has gotten a 4.0 or higher award for seven semesters. Czarnowski will be attending Hillsdale College in Michigan on a scholarship.

“I started [playing basketball] when I was in first grade,” Czarnowski said. “I played with my brother [who is] very competitive, which worked because basketball is a competitive sport.”

Despite the competitiveness of the game, basketball is about playing with a team and making “friends who are for a lifetime,” according to Czarnowski.

“Nick is one of four others to play varsity basketball all four years,” said Pete Kramer, physical education teacher and basketball coach. “[He] is a very disciplined, driven and motivated student.”

Continuing basketball in college, Czarnowski hopes to get as much as he can out of the sport he loves.

“It is very humbling to get this award,” Czarnowski said. “There are so many great athletes at this school. I hope I can continue to get better every day. I just want to play basketball as long as I can and as long as it is still fun.”