For the last seven years, Seton Hall University has honored National Women in Sports Day with a special presentation and celebration on the South Orange campus. Many of the top female high school athletes from New Jersey are invited to attend the festivities, complete with a special luncheon and tickets to see the Seton Hall women’s basketball team play a game.
In each of those years, Weehawken High School has been fortunate to have had a representative honored at the National Women in Sports Day celebration. When the group of student/athletes was selected this year, it included Weehawken High junior Natacha Jaramillo, who does a little bit of everything at the school.
Jaramillo not only plays for three varsity sports teams (soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter and softball in the spring), but she is also a member of the school’s National Honor Society, the student council and the Peer Leadership group. “I like to be involved in a lot of community service projects,” Jaramillo said. “It’s my goal every year to be involved.”
Active in sports and clubs
But she’s not done. Jaramillo is also a member of the school’s color guard and the International Club. “I do keep very busy,” Jaramillo said. So it was only natural that Jaramillo got selected to represent Weehawken at the presentation at Seton Hall last Sunday.
“New Jersey is the only state that has this type of activity, honoring the high school athletes on ‘Women in Sports’ day,” Weehawken athletic director Richard Terpak said. “The state recognizes the hard work of all the young ladies and it’s an honor for us to be involved.”
Terpak said that it was a no-brainer that Jaramillo receive the honor. “She reminds me of that old Timex watch commercial, ‘Takes a licking and keeps on ticking,'” Terpak said. “When she was younger, she used to take a beating out there, because she wasn’t the biggest kid around. But she would constantly get up and go back for the next challenge. She wasn’t afraid of anything. She just kept going. Now, she’s matured a lot and she’s been able to achieve some great things.”
Basketball star
One of those great accomplishments has been becoming a major contributor to the girls’ basketball team. Jaramillo has averaged close to 14 points this season, helping Weehawken qualify for the NJSIAA Group I state tournament for the first time in over a decade.
The Indians won their first round tourney game against Jonathan Dayton of Springfield, before falling to state-ranked power Bloomfield Tech in the sectional quarterfinals Wednesday. “She’s just a sweet kid who has done some fine things this year,” Terpak said. “Natacha is playing with a lot more confidence now and stepped her game up. She’s the type of kid who I wish I had a chance to coach. She’s a pure joy to be around.”
“I was extremely honored to be selected,” Jaramillo said. “I never thought I would be nominated. It’s a great feeling just to know that my hard work didn’t go unnoticed. Getting a chance to go to an event like this made me feel like one of the top athletes in the state.” Jaramillo was joined at the presentation by Kristen Bronowich of Secaucus.
“It was so good to know that there are so many other girls who have the same interests that I have and that those interests were recognized,” Jaramillo said. “It’s been a fun year.” Jaramillo was accompanied to the presentation by her mother, Patricia.
“It was important for my mother to be there with me, because my parents (father is Carlos) are at every one of my games, there to support me,” Jaramillo said. Jaramillo received another surprise while she visited Seton Hall. Her cousin is former Weehawken standout athlete Danny Lopez, who was the Hudson Reporter Male Athlete of the Year in 2004. Lopez currently plays baseball at Seton Hall and the Pirates were practicing that day. Lopez is the starting centerfielder for the Pirates. “I didn’t know Danny would be there,” Jaramillo said. “But we saw him in the gym and it was shocking to see him, because it had been a while.”
“As we were walking in, we saw the baseball players coming in,” Terpak said. “Danny said that he was looking for Natacha. He wanted to come by and congratulate her. We’re real proud of what she’s done.”
Honoring female athletes
Some of the women honored that day included Sharon Hughes of Passaic County Tech, Sue Newcombe from Richard Stockton College and Kim Culligan, the former assistant athletic director at St. Peter’s College who is currently holding the same duties at Vassar College. Alice DeFazio, the assistant athletic director at New Jersey City University, is a driving force behind the program.
“It’s a great way to honor the female athletes that have long been ignored,” Terpak said. “Women’s and girls’ sports have come a long way.” So has Natacha Jaramillo.
“I can’t live without sports,” Jaramillo said. “I love sports and always will.” Now, she has a place of prominence with a few others like her who have excelled in sports as well.
Jim Hague can be reached via e-mail at either OGSMAR@aol.com or jhague@hudsonreporter.com