Debbie Paul (2010)

Softball 1974-82-84 2007, Tennis 1974-84-86 2005 Debbie Paul made her mark at Ridgewood High School in softball, delivering on 32 seasons as head coach, and in girls tennis, serving as head coach for 31 seasons. Paul joined the Ridgewood High School faculty in 1973 as a physical education teacher. She had just graduated the previous spring from one of the best physical education preparatory schools in the world, Springfield College in Massachusetts. Growing up in Milford, Conn., and graduating from Milford High School in 1969, Paul's life was immersed in athletic endeavors, even though formal high school varsity sports had not yet emerged for women through Title IX legislation from the United State Congress. As a 16-year-old junior in high school, she played a very high caliber of softball during the spring and summer for the Raybestos Brakettes, based in Stratford, Conn. This semi-pro team was one of the first women's teams to offer organized opportunities for women to compete at an extremely high level. She excelled for five seasons for the Brakettes as a middle infielder while also playing intercollegiate field hockey and basketball at Springfield College. Upon taking up her teaching position at Ridgewood High School, Paul took the reigns of the fledging girls tennis and softball programs created at RHS, as Title IX legislation took effect, providing equal athletic opportunities for girls. Paul became a pioneer in the Bergen County sports scene and a strong advocate for equal opportunity for women in sports. Her 1973 tennis team won the first Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) championship offered, and then in 1974, she took over as the head field hockey coach for one season. Upon returning to the tennis courts for the next three seasons (1975-77), Paul's teams quickly reflected the excellence of her tutelage, sporting a 54-9 record over those three seasons, winning an NNJIL championship in 1977 as well as two Group 4, Section 1 state titles in 1976 and 1977 and the outright Group 4 state championship in 1977. From 1978 to 2006, Paul had two interruptions in her tennis coaching career. In 1978, she took a leave of absence from the Ridgewood school district to earn a master's degree in biomechanics from Purdue University. In 1985, she was on a one-year sabbatical, studying national patterns in the development of wellness-based curriculums in high schools across the United States In each of those seasons (1978 and 1985), the tennis team reflected her development of guidance through interim coach Mary Ann Tierney winning a Group 4, Section 1 state title in 1978, and taking an NNJIL championship as well as another Group 4, Section 1 state crown in 1985. Both years, the team made the Group 4 state finals. In 1980, the Maroons racked up the first of fourBergen County championships and their second outright Group 4 state title. Overall in 31 seasons (1973, 1975-77, 1979-84, 1986-2006) under Paul, the girls varsity tennis teams at RHS amassed a 567-112 match record, 25 league championships, 23 Group, Section 1 state titles and two outright Group 4 state championships while appearing in the state final four times. Paul was named Bergen County Girls Tennis Coach of the Year three times. In 1974, Paul organized and coached the first girls softball team at Ridgewood High School. The sport was in its infancy inBergen County, as Paul recalls schools having teams call each other to arrange playing formal games. There was no formal league structure in place. The team held varsity status from the school's athletic department that season and would compete the following year in the newly organized girls division of the NNJIL. The softball team took a slower climb to success than the tennis program, but under Paul's steady leadership and coaching, the team emerged with a 17-7 record in 1978 while claiming its first Bergen County tournament victory and its first two wins in the state tournament. Paul was named Bergen County Softball Coach of the Year that season and would be named Coach of the Year three more times during her 32-year softball career (1974-78, 1980-2006). Paul had built the framework of a very solid team when she took a leave of absence for her masters' degree program in the study of biomechanics at Purdue University in 1979. The core of that team was built around 2010 RHS Hall of Fame inductee Amy Lyons and current RHS head softball coach Patti Auger. The team, under interim coach Dave Vanderbush, went 26-2 and won the NNJIL, Group 4, Section 1 and Group 4 state championships. Upon her return to Ridgewood, Paul's teams went on a great run of success from 1980 to 1986, amassing a record of 152-30 and winning their first Bergen County tournament championship in 1981 while repeating in 1983. Those teams also won three NNJIL titles, four Group 4, Section 1 state championships and the 1983 Group 4 state championship. The 1983 team was named No. 1 in the state and awarded the Star Ledger trophy as such. The Maroons would go on another great run from 2004 through Paul's final season of 2006, producing a record of 70-14, winning three NNJIL titles, the Bergen County tournament championship in 2005 and the Group 4, Section 1 state title in 2006. Overall, Paul's softball teams amassed a record of 473-270 with six league titles, three Bergen County championships, five state-sectional crowns and two outright Group 4 state championships. Her career win total of 473 currently ranks No. 1 all-time inBergen County history. In 2006, Paul was honored by the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations by being named New Jersey Softball Coach of the Year and Northeast Softball Coach of the Year. Paul was further honored in 2006 by the Greater YMCA of Bergen County, receiving its prestigious award for significant contributions to youth. Paul also excelled as a teacher in the Ridgewood school district, where she helped develop Ridgewood High School's excellent reputation for its physical education and wellness curriculum. She was a leader in the fitness field and was instrumental in the incorporation of the school district's Project Adventure programming. Her efforts helped move Ridgewood High School's wellness programs into being a model that districts all over the state would try to emulate. Having spent her entire career in the Ridgewood school district, Paul retired from the teaching and coaching profession after the conclusion of the 2006-07 school year. Paul states she feels "very blessed to have had an opportunity to teach and coach in a district like Ridgewood". She would like to recognize and express her appreciation for the professional mentoring she received during her career from Dave Marsh, former director of wellness for the Ridgewood school district, as well as from her teaching and coaching role models, Dick Bennett and Kitty Batterson. Batterson, the former girls volleyball coach at RHS, is a 2008 Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame inductee. Bennett was named Bergen County Boys Soccer Coach of the Century by The Record in 2000.

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Julia Rappa (2022)

February 28, 2025
Julia Rappa was introduced to golf through her Dad. As a young child, Julia was introduced to many sports, but golf was the one that Julia says “she picked up on quickly.” As Julia got older she began taking lessons and competing in the Pioneer Junior Golf Tour which was a Bergen County based program for young people getting into golf. According to Julia it was a great place to meet other kids that played golf and a good place to sharpen her skills. Julia also competed in many junior tours such as the NJSGA, IJGT and AJGA tournaments that gave her a great deal of exposure to competitive golf. Having played golf since she was about ten years of age, Julia was very excited about the opportunity to join the Ridgewood High School golf team as a freshman. Initially joining the boys’ team, Julia said playing competitive golf against the boys was a great experience that sharpened her competitive drive and proved to her how strong her game had become and how strong it could be. The NJSIAA recognized girls’ golf as an individual sport from boys’ golf in 2004. In 2005 Dave Vanderbush organized the first girls’ golf team at Ridgewood. There was no league and the girls played an independent schedule. There was a state tournament that year for girls’ golf sponsored by the NJSIAA. Golfers had to shoot forty five or better over nine holes during the state qualifier to qualify to play in the state tournament.While Dave Vanderbush built the RHS girls golf program, Julia and her teammate Eunae Jo were excited to support the new girls joining the team. From that point on Julia would be an integral part of putting Ridgewood girls’ golf on to the top of the list for all of the girls’ golf programs in New Jersey. Julia and her teammate Eunae Jo both qualified. Not only did they qualify, but they won the tournament with freshman Julia Rappa shooting a 90 and freshman Eunae Jo shooting an 89 for a 15 stroke victory over JP Stevens. The pair of Rappa and Jo would qualify for the tournament again for the next three years 2006, 2007 and 2008.Ridgewood would win the state championship in 2006 by one stroke in a one hole playoff with Red Bank Catholic with Rappa making a par 4 on the playoff hole. The pair would win again in 2008 with a two stroke victory over Haddonfield. It was sweet revenge as Haddonfield had defeated Ridgewood by 3 strokes for the championship in 2007. Winning many individual honors through her interscholastic days, Julia went on to play golf for four years at Long Island University Brooklyn. Julia states that golf was a big part of her decision to go to LIU. She wanted an education in New York City and her ability in golf afforded her the opportunity to do so. Julia recounts the incredible teammates she had from different parts of the world. She was the only American on the team. Julia states “when you are competing and traveling for tournaments each weekend, your teammates become family. It was an incredible experience to study in NYC during the week and play on beautiful golf courses all along the East coast during the weekends.” Julia placed in many tournaments during her collegiate career at LIU, but her high school coach Dave Vanderbush summed it up by saying, “Julia was an excellent, steady golfer who always played team golf.” Julia Rappa , welcome to the Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall Of Fame.

Joe Pedone (2022)

February 27, 2025
When Joe Pedone finished his high school basketball career in 1992 his coach, Jim Stoker, was quoted at the year end team banquet as saying, “if there is ever a Ridgewood High School Hall of Fame, Joe Pedone will be in it.” It has taken some time for that statement to come true but with his inclusion in the Class of 2022, Joe Pedone is now a member for the Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Joe Pedone joins other Ridgewood High School Basketball greats: Pete Campbell, Doug Cook, Tom Hopper, Tim Mullen, and Jim Dee. Joe was a two year varsity starter and a four year player for the Maroons. A slick, ball handing guard, he could get to the rim and score, but he was most feared as a deadly accurate outside shooter. In 1990-91, his junior year, Pedone averaged 15.1 points per game while shooting 54% from the field, 35% from the 3-point arch, and 84% from the foul line. As a result of those marks Joe was awarded 1st Team All-NNJIL, 1st Team All-Suburban, and 3rd Team All-Bergen County. As noteworthy as that season was it only set the stage for his senior year where he really put himself on the North Jersey Basketball map. The 1991-92 basketball season saw Pedone put himself not just among the elite of All-Time Ridgewood High School basketball players but on the list of outstanding players in Bergen County and North Jersey history. He averaged 24.5 points a game, second in the county by .4 points a game. He shot 39% from three point range, 78% from the foul stripe, and 49% from the field against defenses designed and focused on stopping him. Joe finished his career with 973 points a number that would have exceeded 1,000 if not for three games lost late in the season to an ankle injury. Career highlights included nine 30+ point games, 17 games of 20 points or more, 78 total points (38 & 40 respectively) against New Jersey state power Eastside High School, and an 18 win season for the 91-92 Maroons in the always tough NNJIL where every game was a challenge. As much as the focus on Pedone was his offensive skills and scoring prowess, Coach Stroker lauded him for his hard work in becoming an outstanding defensive player. Everyone who knows Coach Stroker, understands he is a “team first” guy and he speaks very highly of Joe’s work ethic, his quiet leadership, and steady team play. There were many coaches who felt Joe was the best player in Bergen County his senior year. As a result of his great play his senior year Pedone was voted 1st Team All-NNJIL, 1st Team All-Suburban, 1st Team-All Bergen County, chosen for the Bergen/Passaic All Star Game, and recognized nationally when nominated for the 1992 McDonald’s All American High School Basketball Team. He accepted a full four year basketball scholarship to Stonehill College in Massachusetts where he had an outstanding career leading the Chieftains to the Northeast 10 Conference semi-finals his sophomore year. He earned numerous Northeast 10 weekly honor roll acknowledgments before missing his senior season due to a fractured femur. Ridgewood High School is steeped in tradition of outstanding athletic teams, coaches, and athletes. With records of accomplishments in a wide variety of sports going back decades. There are thousands of athletes who have worn the Maroon and White and excelled during their high school and some later in their collegiate careers. Only the best are recognized with induction in the Athletic Hall of Fame. Joe Pedone is truly one of the best and now joins the Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments in the sport of basketball.

Ajay J. Kirtane, MD, SM - '90

February 27, 2025
Ajay J. Kirtane, MD, SM, is Professor of Medicine at the Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories at NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP) Hospital/CUMC. Dr. Kirtane is an internationally renowned leader in Interventional Cardiology, specializing in the care of patients with complex coronary and peripheral vascular disease. In addition to his clinical commitments, Dr. Kirtane has a strong interest in clinical education and research, serving as Chief Academic Officer of Columbia Interventional Cardiovascular Care, and as director of several international, national, and regional educational conferences in Interventional Cardiovascular Medicine. Dr. Kirtane's research interests are in clinical trials and outcomes of device-based and pharmacologic interventions in Interventional Cardiology. He is/has been Principal Investigator and serves on the steering committees of numerous clinical trials in interventional cardiovascular medicine. Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Bergen County, New Jersey, Dr. Kirtane is a graduate of Ridgewood High School, Princeton University, and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and completed his residency/chief residency in Internal Medicine at the University of California — San Francisco. He then completed fellowships in Cardiovascular Disease and Coronary and Peripheral Vascular Intervention at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center / Harvard Medical School and additionally obtained a Masters of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health prior to moving back to Columbia. In his free time, Dr. Kirtane has avid interests in sports and music, and lives in New Jersey with his family. Inducted 2022
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