As an avid runner, Peter Jan Ramos ’24 knows a little something about the importance of endurance, hard work and never giving up. During his four years at Chaminade, he was able to balance his academic coursework with long practices and meets on the cross country team.
In fact, he was named to the Division 2 Athletic Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievements Awards four times in recognition of his participation in intercollegiate sports and his high GPA. He was among a record 85 Chaminade student-athletes honored with the award in 2024-25.
“My cross country coach, Shadrack Nabea, made sure we were a student first then an athlete,” Ramos explained. “There were some days of the week where we would run on our own instead of meeting up with the team, which gave me more time to do my classwork and assignments. Managing my time helped me make sure all the things I had to do were on time.”
Ramos, from Waipahu, chose to attend Chaminade because of the scholarship opportunities he was afforded. He majored in Accounting with a minor in Psychology, and clinched a role in accounting right after graduation thanks to a connection from a Chaminade professor.
And his supervisor at his workplace, Ground Transport, Inc., is also a Silversword.
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He says he is grateful for the opportunity to apply his skills and continue to grow.
In addition to serving as an accountant, Ramos is assistant cross country and track coach at Campbell High School. As a mentor himself now, he’s working to model the Chaminade coaches and professors in his life who helped support him throughout his college years.
After all, he said, every day at Chaminade required focus and discipline. His days consisted of running on his own, commuting to campus, completing coursework, and practicing with his team.
He also had to make time for a full night’s rest, essential for an athlete in training.
And on the weekends, he would try to catch up on his work at school and at home.
“It was hard at first, but I found my own day to day routine to do and I eventually got used to it,” said Ramos, who graduated with a 3.82 GPA. He added that for him, the key to keeping his grades up as a student-athlete was good time management, dedication and smart study techniques.
Now in coaching, he shares those same lessons with the students he works with. “I want to give back to high school student-athletes who have found a passion in running,” Ramos said. “I was once like them and I want to help them in some way with what I’ve learned through my experiences.”
His advice to current student-athletes at Chaminade embodies his ethos of perseverance and sticking to it. “Find your own day to day routine and be disciplined with everything you do,” Ramos said. “Things can always come up in our lives so you always have to be ready to be adaptable.”