THE EXCEPTION — Multi-sport athlete Brady Agrimson continues to show his dominance in multiple sports. (Star Eagle photo by Pam Agrimson)
By JIM LUTGENS
Publisher
In a day when more athletes are specializing, choosing to focus on one sport, Brady Agrimson is an exception.
He’s not only participated in, but excelled in three sports at NRHEG High School, and his athletic career is far from finished.
Last fall, Agrimson became the rarest of rare high school athletes: those able to participate at the state level in three sports. For him, it’s been football, basketball and track and field, maybe in that order.
Agrimson gives a lot of credit to his teammates for helping him get to state in three sports.
“It’s still hard to believe that I got to have those opportunities,” he said.
Agrimson said his parents, Dale and Pam, have been his biggest influence.
“They’ve always pushed me to be my best and believe in myself,” he said. “They see the best in me and want me to succeed.”
Succeeding at sports has never been a problem for Agrimson. He was a star in football, was a major contributor as the boys’ basketball team won the state consolation title and placed in two events in last spring’s state track meet.
This spring, he’s already broken the school record in the 110-meter high hurdles, something coach Duey Ferber said he’s been waiting two years to do. He garnered four first places in an April 16 invitational at Wells.
Agrimson said picking football for college was an easy choice and, after visiting the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, that also became an easy decision.
“I really liked the campus and the atmosphere of the place,” he said. “The football coaches are really nice people and they seem to be building their team like a family. I couldn’t turn down a chance to play an amazing sport in college. I love basketball too, but football is my all-time favorite.”
Agrimson hopes eventually to be a starting wide receiver at River Falls.
He plans to major in criminal justice, possibly following the footsteps of his parents.
“I’d like a stable career and I can see myself enjoying law enforcement work,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind the early retirement, too, like my parents were able to do.”
In 10 years, Agrimson said, he hopes to be married with two boys, no girls, and two dogs.
Agrimson can’t say for sure where he got his athletic ability.
“I got it from both sides of my family,” he said. “I have many athletic relatives on both sides. My grandparents, my dad, my mom and my uncles were all very active in sports and did well. They played basketball, football, hockey, track and golf, and my mom swam and was a cheerleader. Some of them played in college.”
College is something Agrimson is already anticipating.
“I expect it to be very hard and challenging, and I’ll be pushing myself to a new level of conditioning and fitness,” he said.
As for regrets during his high school years, Agrimson wishes he had pushed himself harder, both athletically and academically.
Like the rest of the senior class, Agrimson is anxiously counting down the final days of high school as he hopefully prepares for a state championship in the hurdles.
His advice to underclassmen?
“Always expect the best from yourself,” he said. “And take school seriously. You’ll regret it when you’re older if you don’t.”