Former Coach, AD Thrilled for Wojcik

Shaun Cherewich, the former longtime Westfield High School boy's lacrosse coach, has known Chris Wojcik for about as long as you can know somebody.

When Cherewich moved to Westfield in 1974, he moved two houses away from Randy Sr. and Marie, Wojcik's parents. The 36-year-old Wojcik went on to play for Cherewich at the youth level in the summer and then at Westfield High School where he became one of the Blue Devils' best all-time players.

Wojcik was recently hired as head coach at Harvard University.

"He's like a son to me,'' said Cherewich, who started the Westfield program as a club in 1977, then to a junior varsity program in 1978 before the first year of varsity play in 1979. "I was calling him when he was calling me,'' after Wojcik was hired.

Cherewich said he was thrilled for his former player.

"He told me jokingly I think that he was going to offer me the job as his defensive coordinator,'' said Cherewich, who retired a couple of years ago as head coach.  "I'd love to be able to stand on the sidelines with him in his first game.

"I remember seeing his players looking at him – they all love him,'' he added. "They looked at him like 'this is a coach.'''

Former Westfield Athletic Director Ed Tranchina, who recently retired, said Wojcik was a "great, great athlete.

"He was one of the greatest athletes to come through Westfield,'' he said.

Cherewich said he remembers that Wojcik's desire to succeed was obvious when he was a youngster.

"You could tell there are certain kids who have a desire above and beyond,'' said Cherewich. "His mental approach not just to games, but to practice was very special.''

The fact that Wojcik earned his master's degree at Boston College while he was an assistant coach at Harvard was an example.

"He's just an excellent scholar and athlete,'' said Cherewich.

Cherewich said that he's had a number of former players go on to coach at the high school and collegiate levels.

"But never at this magnitude,'' said Cherewich said. "This is Harvard. This is the big time.''

As a player, Cherewich remembers Wojcik's relentlessness that likely came from his soccer background. Wojcik was both captain of the soccer and lacrosse teams at Harvard. Wojick played mainly midfield in high school, but moved up to attack at times.

"He could run like hell and the fact that he was a soccer player probably helped him understand the midfield (in lacrosse) better,'' Cherewich said.