Jeff was a great student in school and an all-around athlete. He was Spider Lockhart - captain of the basketball team and a quarterback on our football team. But he was also more than that. I was fortunate to get to know Jeff a little bit at the very end of our senior year.
It was senior year when Jeff was the recipient of the annual "Al Del Greco Memorial Award" which was awarded to an all-around athlete and good student. Below is the article that was published in The Record the day after in its entirety. Thanks to Kathy Stella for recently sending it to me and sorry Jeff!
Here's the article:
"In the fall Jeff Lockhart was a reserve quarterback for the Ridgewood football team. In the winter, he was Captain of the basketball team. And the rest of the time he did more than seems possible for a high school student.
Lockhart doesn't claim to be a great athlete. In fact, he gives the impression that he is no more than a normal high school student who tries to take on more than he can handle. But the recipient of the 3rd Annual Al Del Greco Memorial Award has the credentials to prove he is more than an average student.
"There are very few young men like Jeff," said Ridgewood basketball coach Norm Thompson after Lockhart was honored at The Record's Spring Sports Banquet last night at the Neptune Inn.
Lockhart has had a measure of success in athletic endeavors. He has been a major force in other community and school projects.
A few years ago he helped organize a chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Ridgewood. He is an Eagle Scout, has represented Ridgewood at Boys' State and is a National Honor Society Student who has been named to Who's Who Among America's High School Students.
Since the 9th grade he has worked with handicapped children and tutored special education classes during his free periods. He will major in premed at Williams (Mass.) College in the fall, and is spending his summer scrubbing floors at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood.
"There are times when I see other guys concentrating on one or two things and being really successful that I think maybe I am doing too much at once," Lockhart said, "Every now and then it seems my schedule is getting a little confused, but once you get used to doing certain things at certain times it becomes pretty routine."
About the only thing Lockhart couldn't comprehend was his role at last night's dinner. Thompson had asked him to come to the dinner with him because many of the Ridgewood coaches had to attend a teacher retirement dinner.
"I didn't know why I was here but the story Coach Thompson used to get me to come didn't seem too far-fetched," Lockhart said. "I was shocked when I heard my name announced. I really don't think I'm too worthy of any kind of award."
Lockhart was further surprised when his parents joined him on the podium after he received the award.
"I really didn't know anything about any of this," Lockhart said. "It's just unbelieveable."
The award, named for the late Record sports editor columnist, Al Del Greco, is given annually to the Bergen County student who best exemplifies sportsmanship and service to his school and community."
A deserving recipient to be sure - a very belated congratulations Jeff!
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