Kolodziej loves to thrive on pressure

(This is the eighth in a profile of the Lynn-area Agganis Foundation scholarship recipients.)If there’s one thing playing high school sports teaches you, it’s how to handle pressure and for Agganis Foundation scholarship winner Brian Kolodziej, that’s a must.The 2009 Classical High graduate is heading to the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth this fall where he has been accepted into the nursing program. His goal is to one day work in a hospital emergency room.”The thing that appeals to me about being an emergency room nurse is that you’re constantly under pressure. You have to be on your toes,” he said.Kolodziej said growing up playing sports, particularly at the high school level, has made him appreciate the adrenaline rush that comes with being under the gun to get the job done.With his high school experience now in the rear mirror, Kolodziej has had a chance to reflect back on the decisions he’s made along the way and he’s happy with the road he chose.”I’m very happy I picked Classical,” he said, adding that this year’s senior class became very close.Kolodziej played football for coach Matt Durgin and the last two years with coach Mike Phelps. He was a center and a linebacker with his efforts earning him Northeastern Conference All-Star status and the team Student-Athlete Award his junior and senior years. He also went the distance on the baseball team, where he started in the outfield under coach Mike Zukowski. He was also a captain. Kolodziej kept busy between seasons as a member of the track team for three years.Although playing three varsity sports doesn’t leave a whole lot of time to do much else, Kolodziej found time to be a peer mediator and a member of the Roadies, a group of Classical “super fans” who cheered on the various school teams.Kolodziej said one of the best things about Classical, and Lynn in general, is its diversity.”I grew up with so many different types of people. I’m comfortable around everyone,” he said.During his sophomore year, Kolodziej also had an opportunity to see a side of Lynn that many people don’t see. His cousin, Patrick Reddy, died in a tragic car crash in Maine in the winter of 2007. Reddy had graduated from St. Mary’s High and was doing a post-graduate year at Bridgton Academy in Maine when the accident occurred. People from across the city, whether they knew the former high school hockey player personally or not, turned out in droves to support the family.”It showed just how tight knit the community is,” Kolodziej said,Kolodziej will spend this summer working as a dockhand at Seaport Landing, a job he also did last year. He’ll also be playing in both the Agganis football and Agganis baseball games.The Harry Agganis Foundation has awarded $1,314,525 in scholarships to 813 student-athletes since its inception in 1955.