Personal Statement
My name is Kylee Del Monte, and I am a field hockey goalkeeper, class of 2023. I play and start for RUSH U19 Field Hockey and Scripps Ranch High School Varsity Field Hockey. I’ve been playing hockey for about three years now, since seventh grade. Before field hockey, I played soccer goalkeeper for about 8 years, which is where I got much of my skill. I’ve also played catcher in softball, goalkeeper in lacrosse, and basketball. I guess I just like balls being hurled at me, it’s kind of my thing.
I started going to RUSH goalkeeper clinics with Coach Brian about two years ago, in spring of eighth grade. In the winter of 2019, I was invited onto the RUSH U16 team. I played in a Hockey 5’s Tournament and in the 2020 Disney Showcase before Covid shut everything down. During Covid, I was lucky enough to have access to safe individual and small group training. This is when I was placed on the U19 Rush team, in the summer of 2020 after my freshman year. For about 6 months through the worst of Covid, I trained 3-5 days a week, individually and with my U19 team. I also occasionally trained with college players home for summer break. It has been such a blessing to train with some of the best girls in the country for the past year; my technical skills, tactics, decision making, and communication have all been taken to the next level. When I look back on where I was last year versus where I am now, it’s crazy. Today I feel confident playing with and against my teammates, some of the best hockey players in the country.
My freshman year of high school, I played on JV and got to train everyday with the varsity goalie, who was a D1 college commit. I was so lucky to be able to develop my skills and decision making, and learn from her everyday. That season, our JV team dominated the league, so I only had 10 shots and zero goals against me. That season I missed out on game experience, but it taught me to savor every shot and to treat every practice like the game, even before Covid came about. My sophomore season was sadly shortened, but we’re lucky we even had a season here in California. This high school season I’ve learned how to be more aggressive, and how to be vocal and lead my defense. I’m working on transitioning those skills into my club play, being able to use them on a more fast-paced, higher level team.
