Kathryn M. Ritter and Bradley Rocco were the recipients of the James Snyder Award at Philipsburg-Osceola High School Tuesday night. The award, sponsored by the Centre Daily Times, is given in memory of Snyder, a former CDT sports editor, who was killed in an automobile accident in December of 1957.
The award is given to the male and female letterwinners who also demonstrated excellence in the classroom as well as being a good citizen in the school and community.
Ritter, daughter of Thad and Avis Ritter, was a four-year varsity letterwinner in soccer and track & field. She also lettered three years in cross country and two in basketball.
Ritter was a member of the National Honor Society, Student council, Chorus, Spanish National Honor Society, Bible Club, Yearbook staff, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Students Against Drunk Driving, Letterwinner, Drama Club and Key Club.
“I was really excited to get the Snyder Award knowing that it’s for athletics and academics,” said Ritter, whose sister Becky won the honor in 2002. “It’s a harder combination to do and I was glad that out of my school that I was the girl chosen for that award.”
Ritter, who lists making the PIAA team cross country championships as a career highlight, said maintaining a busy schedule has not been easy.
“It’s a lot of time management,” she said. “I feel that knowing I have a strict schedule and I have to stick to it keeps me on task for what I need to do. I don’t have too much time to waste. I just like to keep busy.”
Ritter will attend Elizabethtown College and plans to major in occupational therapy. She became interested in the field thanks to her younger cousin who is disabled.
“I like to say I’m one of his favorite cousins out all of us,” Ritter said. “We just kind of formed a bond. When I would spend the weekend at my aunt’s and uncle’s house, I would go with him to his occupational therapist, to Special Olympic things and to his Miracle League baseball games. Being around him, I knew that I wanted to work with people like that.”
Rocco, son of Robert and Mary Jane Rocco, was a three-year varsity letterwinner in track & field. He also lettered two years in football and a year in basketball.
He became the first track & field athlete in school history to capture a District 6 Class AA title by winning the pole vault crown. He tied for 11th at the PIAA Championships.
Rocco was a member of the National Honor Society, Students Against Drunk Drivers, Letterwinners and Key Club.
“I’m thankful because it’s a good way to account for all of the hard work I’ve put in academically and athletically throughout my high school career,” said Rocco, whose brother Mike won the Snyder Award in 2007. “It’s good just to get some recognition for all of that.
“Sports take up a lot of time and you’ve got to worry about your grades right after that,” Rocco added. “It takes a lot of time and a lot of hard work, but in the end it’s all worth it. This award helps to pull that all together.”
Rocco said his district pole vault title was a special memory of his athletic endeavors. “To finally get on top and win something, it felt really good,” he said. “I put a lot of hard work into it.”
Rocco will attend the University of Pittsburgh and plans to major in pharmacy, thanks to a talk with his science teacher JoEllen Simcox.
“I’ve always been a strong science student and I knew I always wanted to get in the science field,” he said. “I wanted to get something in the medical field, but I didn’t want to quite go to college all of those years to become a doctor. I was talking with my biology teacher Miss Simcox and she mentioned it. I looked into it and I liked what I read. I figured that would be a good way for me to go.”
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