Bethel Park QB Chiccitt a role model
Even when Anthony Chiccitt was going through the chemotherapy treatments for three months this spring, when he had to push himself through the fatigue to continue to play baseball and still hit .300 for Bethel Park, he never complained, never said to anyone “why me?”
But a few times, he made a request to his mother:
“I can’t wait for the day when I feel 100 percent again.”
That day is here. Bethel Park football is all the better for it. And now we should all stand up and cheer for Chiccitt.
Chiccitt is back for his senior year at Bethel Park. He’s cancer free, no signs of the Hodgkin lymphoma he was diagnosed with in early February. His thick, black hair has come back and he’s ready for his second season as Bethel Park’s starting quarterback. Another chapter in his journey of beating cancer will come Friday, Aug. 30, when Bethel Park opens its season at Woodland Hills. It’s two days after Chiccitt will have a PET scan that will hopefully show he is still cancer free.
Never mind if you’re a Woodland Hills fan. Never mind if you’re a Bethel Park parent there to cheer on your son. Never mind if you’ve never heard of Chiccitt. Forget any neutrality. When Bethel Park comes onto the field for its first offensive play, when the kid they call “Chic” walks out onto those hallowed grounds of the Wolvarena, where many NFL players have performed, the whole place should stand and roar. Yes, give Anthony Chiccitt a standing ovation, no matter who you are. Even if you’re a Woodland Hills player or coach.
Just because this kid is deserving of something. He is one of the best comeback stories in WPIAL sports in recent years. Stand and cheer, salute him for what he has been through, what he has overcome, what he represents and for the source of inspiration he has become.
He is turning into another James Conner story.
“I’m feeling great. I’m feeling back to normal, even stronger than last year,” Chiccitt said. “I would say I’ve been pretty solid since midJuly.”
That’s great news for Bethel Park.
“The last thing he wants is attention for making a comeback from cancer. That’s the way he is,” said Brian DeLallo, Bethel Park’s firstyear coach. “He’s a leader, but a quiet leader. Sometimes, we’d like him to be more vocal. But whether he knows it or not, he has this whole team behind him.”
Chiccitt has a lot of people behind him when they find out his story. He is a three-sport athlete who started in basketball and averaged 10 points last season. He started extensive chemotherapy treatments in February and went through four rounds of the treatments from February through the spring. He had a surgery in late June to remove a lymph node under his arm — and then was declared cancer free.
Chiccitt played second baseshortstop for a Bethel Park baseball team that made it to the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals and finished its season May 28. Nine days later, the Bethel Park basketball team was going to a team camp at Ohio State University, where Bethel Park would play a handful of games over two days. Chiccitt told basketball coach Josh Bears he wanted to go — and play. Bears couldn’t help but shake his head while watching Chiccitt play. It turned into another chapter of Chiccitt’s amazing comeback story.
“His chemotherapy treatments hadn’t been over that long and he hadn’t even touched a basketball since February,” said Bears. “But with him, there was never even a question that he wouldn’t go. So we go over to Ohio State and I decided
to just go ahead and start him. It was like he was in midseason form. It was unbelievable.”
Chiccitt is now 6 feet 1½, 185 pounds. A few FCS colleges had been showing interest in him this spring, but DeLallo said some of those schools backed off when they heard of Chiccitt’s cancer. Chiccitt will have to win over some of those coaches with his play this season. DeLallo said Bethel Park’s offense might be a little different than before, meaning Chiccitt could pass more. He was only 59 of 117 for 951 yards last season.
“He has looked great this summer,” DeLallo said.
Chiccitt said, “I’ve had a couple colleges says they want to see me play in the first three or four games.”
Bethel Park is expected to have a strong team. A number of starters are back from last season’s team.
“For all the seniors, this is our last year. We’ve been looking forward to this for four years,” said Chiccitt. “We just want to win.”
Win. That’s Chiccitt’s main goal. But no matter Bethel Park’s record this year, Chiccitt already has won big — in more ways than he knows.
“I don’t want to be known as the kid who was inspiring because he had cancer and everyone felt bad for him,” Chiccitt said. “I’d rather just be known as a football player.”
Too bad. He is more than just another football player. That’s why next week, for just one time, at the start of that game, maybe the PA announcer should read Anthony Chiccitt’s name to the crowd. And everyone, please stand and cheer.
Chiccitt deserves it.