Nicholas Pietrzycki is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Arcadia High School for AZPreps365.com.

If you observed the Arcadia Titans’ football practice for the first time, you would never expect to hear that it is junior wide receiver Damian Jachnik’s first season playing football in his life. And while most high schoolers in Jachnik’s situation would be terrified to play a new sport, Jachnik is not.

“I love to try new things,” Jachnik said.

Jachnik is a transfer student from Frankfurt, Germany who had never touched a football in his life. Jachnik arrived from Frankfurt in August in partnership with American Field Service (AFS). AFS is an organization that helps students like Jachnik study abroad in multiple countries around the world. 

“It still seems like a dream now,” Jachnik said. 

After arriving in August, Jachnik missed Arcadia’s summer football camp, which had already wrapped up. Missing camp didn’t hinder Jachnik from strapping on the pads for the first time and trying out a completely different sport.

“In my family, it’s a big deal to explore new things, to travel,” Jachnik said.

Exploring and trying new things is what inspired Jachnik to come over to America. Jachnik didn’t shy away from trying new things when he moved to Arizona, and playing football was something that Jacknik didn’t need to think twice about. Jachnik knew he wanted to try out as many sports as possible while in America, and that started with joining the football team. 

Arcadia head coach Ray Brown immediately built a connection with Jachnik once he arrived on the football field. After Brown retired from the NFL, he tried calling games for NFL Europe, a developmental league that produced NFL stars, like Kurt Warner. Brown called a game in Frankfurt, Germany, and immediately began talking about Jachnik’s hometown with him.

“We talked about Frankfurt and how it was a banking center in Germany and boom, automatic connection,” Brown said. 

Brown has been impressed with Jachnik and his commitment to the Titans and Arcadia as a whole. Jachnik has tried to “cut the cord” with Germany since arriving in Arizona, focusing on immersing himself in Arizona, something Brown could never even dream of doing. 

“I couldn’t do what he’s doing,” Brown said. 

When Jachnik first stepped on the football field, he was naturally perplexed about how the game of football was played, according to assistant coach Jeremiah Dorest. With no prior experience, Jachnik settled on playing wide receiver. Dorset, who doubles as the Titans’ wide receivers coach, made it a priority to make sure Jachnik knew how to play wide receiver, and what the position required — a position he had never played before, in a sport he knew nothing about.

“He had to figure out what position he would be comfortable with,” Dorset said. 

Jachnik’s relentlessness has helped him improve every single day he’s been on the field, according to Dorset. Two weeks ago at practice, Jachnik was asked to be in scout team offense, to help give the Titans’ first-team defense a glimpse of what they would see on Friday night. Dorset told Jachnik where to go, and without hesitation, Jachnik went to the correct spot. Not only running the correct route but catching the pass while getting hit, according to Dorest. 

Along with playing both scout team offense and defense, Jachnik has begun to be involved in the Titans’ kickoff coverage team. The first time he has ever been involved in the starting lineup. Jachnik ran down the field with 10 other players and arrived to meet sophomore wide receiver Chris Hoos, who was returning kicks, before a majority of the Titans’ kickoff coverage unit. 

“He really is improving every day,” Hoos said. 

Off the football field, Jachnik uses that same relentless attitude in school, striving for success both in the classroom and on the field. School in Germany is very different from school in the United States, according to Jachnik. 

“I had to change my habits a lot," Jachnik said. "What I know in Germany is completely different. The schedule, the school, the structure and especially the people.”

Jachnik has settled in well at Arcadia, according to multiple teammates. Many of them recognized his German accent right away. 

“I noticed his accent. He has a really nice accent,” junior defensive lineman Kevin Perry said. 

Jachnik at first was a little reserved and shy, but after breaking out of his shell he has become a joy on and off the football field, according to Brown.

“He’s just like all our other kids,” Brown said. 

After the football season comes to an end, Jachnik plans to spend the rest of this year playing other seasonal sports such as basketball or soccer during the winter and returning to his native sport, tennis, in the spring.

“I really want to know how they teach tennis in America versus Germany,” Jachnik said.  

Despite not being the star player, Jachnik’s approach to football and school has made him a key component to the Titans’ season, according to Brown. 

“He’s a part of our team," Brown said. "If he’s not here we’re a different team."