Vito Bavaro: Cool as ice

LAKEWOOD RANCH — While the outside world remains covered in calm darkness, a glowing light filters beneath the doors of the New Jersey hockey rink.

The doors slowly begin to open, and within a matter of seconds, the sounds of pucks flying and blades slashing across the ice break the silence.

It’s well before 6 a.m. and the sun has yet to creep up over the horizon. But that doesn’t stop a young Vito Bavaro and his friends from racing across the ice.

Bavaro, who was 4 years old at the time, started playing hockey because all of his friends were playing the sport. But now 10 years later, what began as a chance to play alongside his friends has turned into a lifelong passion.

And on March 12, The Out-of-Door Academy student took the next step in his hockey career after accepting a scholarship to play hockey for Brooks School in North Andover, Mass.

“I was excited,” Bavaro said. “This is something I’ve wanted my entire life, and for it to come true was really exciting.”

Bavaro applied to two schools; and after nearly a year, he learned he had been accepted by his first choice.

“They gave me everything I asked for, so I couldn’t really turn them down,” Bavaro said. “To get to the next step in my hockey career, this was the next step.

“I really liked the coach, and I just felt comfortable there,” he said. “The kids were all really friendly, and I really liked the environment.”

Over the years, Bavaro, who plays right and left wing, has competed across the world, including traveling to Prague, where he faced some of the top Russian and European hockey teams when his Pee Wee team was ranked fourth in the nation.

Bavaro recently finished playing with the Tampa Bay Lightning 97AAA. Now, Bavaro will spend the spring playing with different All Star-type teams before preparing to head up to Brooks School, where he’ll have to adjust to living on his and a more competitive style of hockey.

While at Brooks School, Bavaro, who also plays soccer and lacrosse, will practice five days a week throughout the winter, with the goal of eventually getting into a Division I university.

“I’ll have to get used to playing with kids who are four years older than me,” Bavaro said. “I think it’s just a completely different style. In Florida, kids have the beach, but in the north, there’s nothing better than hockey.

“It’ll be a lot different, but it’s for the best,” Bavaro said. “I just have to work hard every time I have the chance to be on the ice and in the weight room.”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].