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Peterson's senior year not short on excitement

The Palm Harbor goalkeeper was able to celebrate a state soccer title and being accepted to the college of his choice.

By RODNEY PAGE, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published June 22, 2002

Matt Peterson is normally a slightly reserved, serious-minded person. He didn't earn a 4.36 weighted grade point average in Palm Harbor University's difficult International Baccalaureate program by losing his focus.

But there were a couple of days during his senior year, which turned out to be one of the best years of his life, when Peterson couldn't help but cut loose.

The first was the day the acceptance letter came from Northwestern University. Both of his parents graduated from the Evanston, Ill., school, and Peterson was born in Evanston. Now he was going to attend his parents' alma mater.

"I just ran around the neighborhood in circles I was so excited," Peterson said. "I was telling all the neighbors, even ones I didn't know."

The second day of excitement came when the Palm Harbor soccer team, on which Peterson was the starting goalkeeper, won the Class 3A state championship.

"I just ran around in circles then also," he said. "I didn't know what to do. I finally just fell on the ground and the rest of the team jumped on top of me."

Good things seemed to pile up for Peterson during the 2001-02 school year. After four years of hard work in the classroom, he was rewarded with acceptance to the college of his choice. And after four years as the Hurricanes' starting goalkeeper, he was rewarded with a state championship.

Peterson is also the Times Student-Athlete of the Year, an honor that might not have him running circles around the neighborhood, but an honor nonetheless.

"I think playing goalkeeper and being on a team sport also helped me in the classroom," Peterson said. "As a goalkeeper you can see the whole field and you have to be aware of what's going on. You have to make sure you're a few steps ahead so you will be in the right place when the ball finally comes.

"I tried to be a leader in school as well. I liked doing projects that included other students."

Peterson said he plans on studying chemical engineering at Northwestern. His parents are lawyers, but he became interested in chemistry as a junior.

Peterson wasn't offered a soccer scholarship, but will try to walk on in college.

"He was a very vital part of our success," PHU coach Juan Pablo Pinzon said. "He was a leader by example. He always worked very hard in every practice and in the classroom as well, and I think the guys looked up to that. I think they all respected him."

Peterson does not leave for Northwestern until September. However, he plans on traveling to Chicago next week to visit his aunt and uncle and to take in a few Cubs games.

When he finally packs up and leaves for school, Peterson will always have the memories of a whirlwind senior year. And he'll always be able to tell his children about the time he won a state championship. Or will he tell them about his stellar grade point average?

"Well, it depends on if I'm trying to have them get better grades," he said. "I'll probably tell them about the state championship first, but I'll also tell them about the 4.0 and how important it is to get good grades."

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