For Frank Sheibley, ski racing was not only a hobby, but a way of life.

But on Dec. 17, Francis "Frank" Sheibley, a role model for many ski racers, died in a one-vehicle accident soon after leaving the Sunday River ski area in Maine.

"I would have never guessed I'd only have him 20 years," Pat Sheibley, Frank Sheibley's mother, said. "He was in Maine getting ready for the Penn State season. He wanted to give his best to Penn State."

Frank Sheibley, who was not wearing a seat belt, lost control of his Ford Explorer at about 7:45 p.m. According to Maine State Police Trooper Kyle Tilsley, the car overturned on Route 119 and struck a tree.

He was later pronounced dead at the Central Maine Medical Center.

Tilsley said the crash took place as Frank Sheibley was driving to a motel in Auburn, Maine, from the Sunday River ski area where he had been in a race.

Frank Sheibley, a junior transfer from the Penn State Berks campus and a new member of the Penn State Ski Team, had been perfecting his ski racing abilities -- his greatest passion in life.

"Many members of the Penn State team had raced with him prior to college and knew he was a great skier," teammate Sandy Grosso said. "We were really excited to have him because we knew he would be a great addition to the team."

Damon LaSalle, another of Frank Sheibley's teammates, raced with him for five years before college.

"He never got to ski a run for the team, but I know that he will be in all our hearts as we take ours," LaSalle said. "We are most likely going to dedicate the season to Frank."

Frank Sheibley belonged to the Ski Roundtop Racing Club, competed for five years on the Pennsylvania State Ski Team and qualified for the National Eastern Finals.

"He really loved ski racing. Anyone who knew Frank knew skiing was his life; he was nuts about it," Ski Roundtop Racing Club teammate Ryan Levendusky said. "He put 150 percent into everything involving ski racing."

Pat Sheibley said that since her son was 5 years old, he was always outdoors in the winter making sure his ski racing performance was technically perfect.

"The more he learned about the skill of the sport himself, the more he knew ski racing was such a match for him," she said. "Frank was aggressive, and he was always working on his tech-

nique. His training was serious because racing was his passion. He lived for this season."

Despite his talent and success in ski racing, Pat Sheibley added that her son remained humble and always made people feel good about themselves.

"Outside of skiing or sports, Frank never left anyone he ever met with anything to feel bad about," she said. "Frank would never have expected to have touched so many people."

John Williams, owner of Liberty Forge Golf Course where Sheibley worked last summer, said he was a dedicated employee and extremely appreciated.

"He made friends easily and was not only liked, but highly respected," Williams said. "He was respected to the point that he was performing duties normally performed by the superintendent."

Pat Sheibley said her son had been studying turfgrass science at Penn State so he could always be involved in ski racing. She said he aspired to teach the sport to young racers.

"Frank didn't love school, but he loved Penn State," Pat Sheibley said. "Penn State was the first time in his life that he connected with his school in a way that he felt he belonged, and it was something he was proud to be a member of."