Vince D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about competing in athletics throughout your life?
Paul Ripple: I could be magnanimous and say that watching John Prudenti run the hurdles, mostly from behind, was certainly something special that I will never forget, but that might go right to his head. It also does not further my personal interests so I will say the pure enjoyment of competition. I remember playing pickup soccer games every morning before school at Vichy Elementary School; just a mass of 6-7-8 year-olds, no leagues, playing for the fun of it. Competition in every sport provides exhilarating moments, as well as moments of pure athletic beauty. I enjoyed experiencing those moments all through my school years, into college, and up until my hamstrings gave out playing flag football in my mid-thirties. I miss that.
D’Adamo: What have you been doing since graduating from high school?
Ripple: After graduating from St. Mary's College, where I played two years of lacrosse, I moved to Los Angeles in pursuit of a career in the movie and television industry. I think I missed performing in front of people from athletics, so I did some acting in college. A desire to eat, however, led to a career in transportation on movies and television shows. Six years ago, I married my best friend and we have two beautiful children, ages four and two. We now spend most of our days chasing them around. They are very fast.
D’Adamo: What was your favorite class at Justin-Siena High?
Ripple: The easy answer would be either Bob Morrish's English class or Mr. Amormino's Physics class. Morrish was such a unique character, and who could argue with launching model rockets, or water balloons from homemade catapults, and calling it learning. However, I am going to say the class that I did the worst in my four years at Justin: Mr. Foletta's AP US History class. Up until his class, I always breezed through history classes by memorizing names and dates. He had a passion for history, and he challenged us to write by giving only short answer and essay tests. Once, the whole class complained, so he gave us a multiple-choice test. He devised the most devilish multiple-choice test I have ever taken, with multiple combinations of correct choices for each answer. We all failed it, and nobody complained again about short answer and essay tests. His passion must have rubbed off because I always maintained a deep interest in history, and a few years ago I felt compelled to pursue, and completed, a Masters Degree in Military History.
D’Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Justin-Siena High?
Ripple: There were so many. It is hard to choose just one. My favorite team moment was our JV basketball team winning the SCAL championship. A lot of things have to go right to win a championship at any level and Gordon Speck was a terrific coach who brought out the best in our class. My favorite personal moment was on the track, setting the school record in the triple jump. I had decided to play baseball my senior year and not compete in track. As it turns out, hitting a curveball, or even a slow changeup, is not very easy. Ground balls are also tricky things. Before long, my ineptness at the plate and in the field convinced Coach Steve Meyer that my talents were best used as a pinch runner. Mr. D (Frank Defilippis) and Coach Meyer, two fantastic coaches and human beings, allowed me to moonlight at a few track meets. I ended up setting the record at the subsection meet, a few weeks after tearing the meniscus in my right knee while long jumping. The doctor had told me not to do any sports, but he also told me I probably could not do any more damage to it. I figured this was going to be the end of my athletic career anyway, so I kept competing. I am very proud that the record still stands…unless someone broke it recently that I am not aware of…in which case, I'd like to change my entire answer.
D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since graduating from high school and how much of that do you trace to athletics?
Ripple: I have grown in so many ways; it is as if my high school days were someone else's life. Looking back, I was not a particularly mature high school student, and one of the ways that manifested itself was that I tended to be an emotional athlete. Emotion can certainly be a powerful tool to an athlete, but it can also work against you. Too often, I let my emotions get the better of me, and my performance suffered because of it.
D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people?
Ripple: I was fortunate to have two older brothers who were very good athletes; they weren't as good as I was of course, but they did achieve a moderate level of success. I vaguely remember something about a number one state ranking in football and some other random moments. They certainly have been positive influences in my life. My father, however, provided me with the best example of what a father, husband, and man should be. He was a model of patience, integrity, and charity. Although I try, I will probably never quite attain his degree of innate goodness. He was simply the best man I have ever known.
D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet.
Ripple: I would actually like to meet a guy like Allen Rossi. To have had the success he has had, he clearly does something differently than most other coaches, and my impression is that he has done it while retaining the respect and admiration of his players. I know he is no longer coaching, but maybe he will again one day. I'd like to observe how he operates and see what it is he does that leads to that kind of success. With two young children of my own, I imagine there may be some coaching in my future, and I would like to glean as much knowledge as I can before that day arrives.
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