|
|
|
New Jersey skiers remember former racer
|
| On January 28th, one of the coldest nights of the year, 76 high school ski
racers came to Mountain Creek to compete for a worthy cause - to honor a former racer whose life ended too quickly.
Now in its third year, The Steven Petro Memorial Invitational, sponsored by the NJISRA, welcomed SCIL (Sussex County
Interscholastic League) teams: Pope John, Wallkill Valley and Jefferson; Western League teams: Wayne Hills, West
Milford, Mountain Lakes and Ridge and Don Bosco from the Prep League. West Milford took home the gold for the girls'
teams while the Ridge boys won top honors. |
| After a battle with brain cancer, Steven Petro, a 2000 graduate of Newton
High School, passed away on September 1st, 2002. Steven had a passion for skiing - whether it was exploring the
trails of Vermont with his friends or racing through the gates with his teammates - he loved the mountain. For
the first two years of his high school career, Newton High School did not have a race team. So he decided to start
one. Together with Coach David Pede, he walked through the halls of the school recruiting people to join. And who
could say no to Steven? |
| He was made captain of the first ever Newton High School Race Team. Steven,
as well as many of the teammates he recruited, had no prior race experience. But one would never know from Steven's
actions. On the day of the first race, when everyone's stomach was filled with butterflies, he gave his team confidence.
"If I can do it, we all can do it" he said. As the first boy racer of his team to ski the course, his
words proved true and the team's first race was a success. |
| It seems fitting that, for the past three years, the mountain is honoring
him. At the close of this year's race, a large banner with the words Steven Petro Memorial Invitational hung behind
the podium. The crowd of students, coaches and Steven's parents listened to the words spoken about Steven and then
cheered as the results were announced. As the racers received their awards, they knew they had taken part in something
special. The proceeds raised from this race will benefit the Steven Petro Memorial Scholarship, awarded to a Newton
High School graduating senior. |
| Danielle De Vita, a close friend of Steven who created the invitational and
scholarship said "The invitational and the scholarship help to keep Steven's name alive, but his memory will
be forever in the hearts of those who loved him". |
|
