Kathryn Frankmore '20 Recruiting Profile

    In 2016, I entered high school as a fearful freshman knowing only one other person going to my school. My first day at St. Mary’s Academy was a pre-season field hockey practice. Under the impression I was going to be playing defense, I worked all summer on my stick skills and endurance with the goal of making Junior Varsity. Scared and nervous, I took my first steps onto the turf field. Little did I know, by raising my hand and volunteering to fill a hole on the team I would find my real passion that day.
    Three days later I was suited up in goalie gear learning the basics to be a goalie. Not ever played the position, I focused on what my coach said were the five primary attributes of being a solid goalie: angles, fitness, positioning, lunges, and communication. While these are all crucial to success, what has helped me excel is earning the role of team leader. This was not easy as a sophomore, and I could have quickly let a senior take on the leadership duties. However, I quickly realized the success of the team is dependent on the goalie being a strong leader, so I made it a goal to earn my teammates respect through hard work and support. While I still struggle with being called a leader, both on and off the field, I am continually encouraged to step into leadership positions in field hockey, soccer, and in the academic setting.
    My abilities to communicate, encourage, and help people have translated into all aspects of my life. In the classroom, I have learned that speaking up, asking questions and being engaged in my learning helps to excite others about education and allows us to work together to address academic challenges. In soccer last spring, my teammates voted me Junior Varsity Captain, which allowed me to step up into that leadership position on and off the field and be a source of encouragement and friendship to my teammates.
    Although hockey is my passion and I dedicated a lot to it, I feel it gives me so much more in return. It is teaching me to learn from those around me. It is allowing me to focus on my strengths, address my weaknesses and grow into who I want to be as an adult. And it has allowed me to be a leader both on and off the field, which will benefit me long after I take the gear off.