Hall of Fame
Romero Aja is one of two Distinguished Letterwinners in the class of 2023. Aja was a four-year member of the Norwich men’s basketball program, starring as a double-digit scorer in a career that culminated in an appearance in the New England College All-Star Game.
As a freshman, Aja led the team in scoring in 11 of 13 games, while scoring 20 or more points nine times during his sophomore campaign. Aja’s output came against institutions that were substantially bigger than Norwich, including Maine, Northeastern, and Vermont. Outside of basketball, Aja assisted Coach Joe Sabol with freshman track and field, while also serving in the Corps of Cadets as a corporal, sergeant, and first lieutenant.
Following graduation, Aja was a teacher at Hardwick High School in Hardwick, Vt. for a year before serving in the US Army. During his time on active duty, he was a troop commander in the 6th Cavalry Regiment that was sent to Washington, D.C. after President Lyndon B. Johnson invoked the Insurrection Act of 1807 to help quell riots in the wake of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. Aja was honored with a National Defense Service Medal for his service.
After his military service concluded in 1969, Aja embarked on an illustrious 30- year teaching and coaching career at Montpelier High School in Montpelier, Vt. For 24 of those years, he helmed the school’s track and field program, winning eight outdoor state championships and one indoor title, in addition to several runner-up finishes.
On weekends and during summers, Aja volunteered to conduct open basketball clinics at Doty Memorial School (K-6) in Worcester, Vt., where he resided. Aja also coached basketball in the MHS Unified Sports program, an innovative school-based Special Olympic program designed to bring students of all abilities together.
Aja was recognized for his time at MHS, earning the Montpelier High School Lifetime Achievement Award and receiving induction into the Vermont Principals Association Hall of Fame. After his retirement in 1999, he continued to volunteer to coach and support the adult basketball Unified Sports program sponsored by the Montpelier Recreation Department.
Aja was married to the late Harriet Aja, and together, they had two daughters; Cindy Forth and Jennette Shelton. Aja currently resides in Las Vegas, Nev.
