The Jewish Link of New Jersey and Gotham Burger would like to recognize eighteen year old Jason Silverstein as this week’s Sportstar of the Week. The Rav Teitz Mesivta Academy senior is the Bo Jackson of Elizabeth — a member of the basketball, hockey, soccer, softball, ice hockey and baseball teams. Jason is not only a super athlete, he is also honor student, taking 100% honors classes where he maintains a 95 average and has been named to the National High School Honor Society the last two years in a row. A RTMA parent told The Jewish Link that “Jason is an athlete’s athlete and was my son’s classmate for years, so I know this personally. He was always an all-star and always motivating and achieving on any field or court he played on.” Jason holds the JEC record for high school shutouts with 15 in four years. He is also the only JEC goalie to get a playoff shutout, which he got when in eighth grade when he shutout Ramaz 4-0. Silverstein is also the only goalie ever used on offense over the course of his career and he has six goals in the four games in which he played. The RTMA hockey coach describes his goalie saying, “The beauty of Jason is that when his team wins, he does nothing but talk about how great his teammates played. Yet when they lose, all he does is talk about his own mistakes. He’s so quick to praise his teammates for the team’s success and so hard on himself when we all fall short.”
Jason, I know you have many role models in your life, especially your father and former JV hockey coach, but if you had to select a professional athlete you look up to, who would it be and why?
Henrik Lundqvist — he’s known for having an unbelievable work ethic and being a very fierce competitor, and I try to follow suit.
Of all the sports you play, which is your favorite sport?
Hockey
What is your greatest sports accomplishment?
Before my freshman year, I went to Camp Dovid (hockey camp) where I was lucky enough to go undefeated for the entire week. I had five shutouts and we won the championship. I was awarded best goalie in my age group, playoff MVP and first team all-star.
Who is your favorite athlete to watch and why?
Jaromír Jágr — he keeps playing at the age of 46 purely because of his love for the game. He’s a surefire hall of famer who no longer has anything to prove, yet he keeps on playing.
What is your pregame routine, if you have one?
Before every game, I eat 10 pieces of toast and I make sure to finish warm ups on a positive play.
What is your earliest sport memory?
When I was around three, my dad gave me a plastic orange hockey stick and on the side of the shaft he wrote Jason “Mark Messier” Silverstein.
What is the weirdest thing that has happened to you while playing sports?
I was once playing in a school softball game when at the same time our baseball team was playing across the park on another field. Someone in the baseball game got hurt leaving them with only eight players. Since I was also on the baseball team, but had chosen to play softball that day, one of the players came running across the park to find me and I was asked to go play baseball so that they wouldn’t have to forfeit; and I left the softball game to help them out.
What is your favorite sports memory?
Going to my first Rangers playoff game; the Rangers beat the Capitals at MSG. It was so much crazier and louder than anything I had ever seen before. It was amazing.
What do you like to do when you aren’t competing for one of RTMA’s six teams?
I like to watch movies with my friends and play video games with my brother, especially NHL17.
What is the best thing about being a Sportstar?
The best part is just being recognized by so many different people from so many different schools and for so many different sports. Now that I am finishing my yeshiva league career, the recognition I seem to receive whenever I’m at other schools just puts things in perspective for me of just how amazing it was and how lucky I was to be able to play and compete on so many different school teams.
The Jewish Link of New Jersey and Gotham Burger Sportstar of the Week will receive a $10 gift certificate to Gotham Burger. Please send nominees for upcoming Jewish Link and Gotham Burger Sportstars of the Week to [email protected]
