by Sheri Duff

Alec Zullo is a busy guy. Not in a negative or superficial way. He’s just actively and enthusiastically, engaged in everything he does. From school work, his favorite class is economics, to his job, to athletics, Zullo does it all.

A four-year varsity alpine ski racer, Zullo fondly remembers being in a pair of skis at age three. He learned quickly how to snow plow (a technique that enables beginning skiers to stop), put on his own equipment, ride a ski lift, make parallel turns, and then, as they say it was all downhill from there.

His ascent into ski racing began in third grade as a member of the Mt. Mansfield Ski and Snowboarding Club (MMSC) in Stowe. The MMSC offers an introductory skiing and ski race program for youngsters between the ages of seven and 10 with an emphasis on basic ski technique, an introduction to ski racing, and fun in the sport. Known for its premier ski racing development, MMSC provided all the technical skills and opportunities for training Zullo was looking for at the time. But in the sixth grade, Zullo opted to compete for the Bolton Valley Racing Club until he graduated from the Shelburne Community School (SCS). Zullo explains further, "the main reason I changed ski clubs was because my best sports coach, Rob Engelken, was there."

Upon completion of the eighth grade Zullo attended Rice Memorial High School. During his freshman year he played three sports: soccer, alpine ski racing, (he credits his mother with starting the program) and baseball. After a year Zullo transferred to CVU where, as he puts it, "things are working out pretty well for me."

Born in Burlington in Fletcher Allen Health Care on May 8, 1992, Zullo has lived in Shelburne his entire life. The eldest son of parents, Judy and David, the family also includes his 12-year-old brother Jack, a seventh grader at SCS, and a pug named Lily.

Currently a senior at CVU, Zullo competes in both downhill ski racing events. A more technical skier, Zullo prefers slalom over giant slalom and that is where he excels. In the first slalom event of the season Zullo placed fifth out of approximately 100 skiers, contributing heavily to a first place win for the CVU boys’ team. Over the next three meets the boys’ team has recorded two second place finishes and a sixth place finish with five more scheduled races this season.

In addition to alpine skiing, this three-sport athlete throughout high school is also a two-year varsity cross country runner, a four-year varsity baseball player (his preferred sport) and a one-year varsity football player. Zullo describes his foray into football, "A few of the guys I play baseball with also play football. They encouraged me to go out for the team. I thought it would be fun. So I did." Although Zullo makes it sound easy, I find it admirable that, as a senior, he went out for a team sport that he had never played in high school before. Not many of his peers would be as gutsy.

The spaghetti-loving teen is also employed. For 15 hours a week, Zullo works at Marco’s Pizzeria manning the cash register, taking phone orders, making subs and sandwiches among other duties. Although he has only been employed for a month, Zullo says, "the only thing I don’t know how to make is pizza."

The active 17-year-old plans to attend Drexel University in Philadelphia, Penn. where he has already been accepted. "Drexel has a great business program and it seemed like a good fit," he said adding, "I also wanted to get a taste of the city life." Or did he mean the busy life? Either way, here’s to one gutsy go-getter.