Field Hockey, Lacrosse
Favorite athlete: Sean White
Favorite team: Phillies
Favorite memory competing in sports: Winning the District One championship in 2010 with my school field hockey team
Most embarrassing/funniest thing that has happened while competing in sports: At a tournament, I scored a goal for the opposite team by accident.
Music on iPod: Rap, country and Jack Johnson
Future plans: Play field hockey and study at Northeastern University
Words to live by: ‘Love what you do and have no regrets.’
One goal before turning 30: Have a family and a job that I love.
One thing people don’t know about me: I used to ride horses.
By Alex Frazier
Zoe Kale never met a challenge she didn’t take.
In fact if there weren’t a challenge facing her, she’d create one.
“Even if it’s unconscious, I set myself up for one,” said the Wissahickon senior, “and then I’ll figure out how to do it some way.”
Last year she took advanced placement U.S. history. Even though she had already committed to Northeastern University as a junior and could have coasted this year, she opted to sign on for AP economics and English.
“My friends said I shouldn’t be stressing myself out as a senior,” she said. “Personally I feel the need to challenge myself even if it’s going to be a struggle. I like not to do the bare minimum.”
And she discovered a bonus in taking on the extra work.
“I wasn’t expecting to enjoy them as much as I do,” she said. “I haven’t learned so much useful information in a while.”
Likewise, having accepted a full scholarship to play field hockey at Northeastern, she could have blown off lacrosse this spring and taken her time to prepare for hockey next year.
“To be already committed her senior year and still come back to be captain of the lacrosse team even though she has a scholarship locked up is very admirable,” said Wissahickon lacrosse coach Chelsea Rosiek.
In field hockey, Kale was primarily a midfielder, but she was asked to move back to defense on her high school team.
Not a problem.
“She’s a versatile player,” said assistant coach Shelley Meier. “She’d easily adapt to wherever you played her. She’s especially amazing as a defender. She has a lot of patience. She always takes on challenges on the field.”
And being the intelligent student she is, she takes her motivation to learn to the field as well.
“She asks smart questions,” said Meier. “If she needed help in one area, she would ask for it. She could recreate things and learn quickly.”
Kale began field hockey in third grade for the Whitpain Recreational League. In eighth grade she began playing club ball.
And ever since she has been immersed in hockey nearly every day of her life.
“I was just talking to my mother that I had two weeks off for Easter, and it felt like the longest break,” she said. “I had the whole Easter and spring break and I didn’t know what to do with myself. It was special, very rare.”
On weekends Kale plays Futures hockey and helps coach for the Excalibur Field Hockey Club.
“It’s like an academy for new players and young girls,” she said. “Between that and Futures, it keeps a stick in my hand. I get to do that on weekends and focus on lacrosse during the week.”
Obviously being a player of her caliber, Kale has been a real asset to the Wissahickon field hockey team the last four years. She was a key member of the Trojans’ district championship squad in 2010.
“She’s really a team player,” said Meier. “She has that concept down very well.”
Not only her skill but also her personality has indebted her to her teammates.
“She’s such a nice and genuine girl,” said Meier. “She’s easy to get along with and communicates really well on the field. Her personality helps her relationship with her team members on the field.”
This year she was appointed an honorary captain by the coaching staff.
Kale started playing lacrosse in seventh grade and immediately took to it, although she has always considered it her “second” sport.
“I never played club or anything, but I seemed to pick it up fairly easily,” she said.
Had she devoted the time to lacrosse that she did to field hockey, she might have gone on to play in college. As a matter of fact, she did consider going to a Division Three school where she could have played both.
“I considered it my freshman and sophomore years,” she said. “I like field hockey slightly better. By the end of my junior year, I was pretty set on focusing on field hockey.”
But she still won’t turn down an opportunity to go out and throw around a lacrosse ball with her younger brother.
“It’s real easy to go out and mess around with him,” she said.
Kale plays midfield in lacrosse. She’s also had two four-goal games already this year.
“She’s a good scorer and is really strong on defense,” said Rosiek. “We have her play on the best girl on the other team. She gives 100 percent until she can’t run anymore. She’s a pleasure to coach.”
This year as captain of the team she is an integral part of a young squad. She leads both by example and vocally.
“She’s a workhorse,” said Rosiek. “She’s extremely positive and hardworking. The girls look up to her because she is so hustle oriented. She’s super ultra focused all the time and she continues to try and improve her skills.”
She even recruited two freshmen players who now start on varsity defense.
“She has quite the eye for talent,” said Rosiek.
Kale is also strong academically. Besides taking AP and honors courses, she is a member of the National Honor Society.
In her spare time she works in a small restaurant in Conshohocken.
Kale’s college decision came down to Northeastern and American University.
“It was back and forth,” she said, “but the school won me over.”
Ironically, Kale had never heard of Northeastern until she went on a college tour to Boston.
“I really, really liked the city,” she said. “They contacted me and it just seemed really perfect. I loved the campus and I couldn’t be happier in Boston.”
One of the things she liked about the college was its co-op program.
“Not that many schools have that,” she said.
On Kale’s first visit, Northeastern offered her a 70 percent scholarship, which she thought was great, but after she committed last June, they called her and said they were going to give her a full ride.
“I was shaking, I was so excited,” she said.
Kale is undecided on a major.
“I’m going in undeclared my first year,” she said. “I like working with kids, but I’m not sure teaching is exactly it. Maybe something in the science field.”
She might also want to do some coaching in the future. She already has some experience.
“I really enjoy it,” she said. “I feel like I connect with the kids a lot. I could see myself coaching a small recreational team or even coming back to Excalibur. It’s a good way to still play field hockey.”
Kale’s next challenge will come in Boston next fall.
“I want to get some playing time as a freshman and maybe start a game or two,” she said. “I’m so excited. I can’t wait to go up there.”
