For junior Zöe Semersky, there is no off season when it comes to playing field hockey. Semersky is a goalkeeper and captain for the ACHS varsity field hockey team, as well as for Windy City Field Hockey, which is a nationally ranked club team. She has been playing for three years and is hoping to further her field hockey career into her college years as well. Not only does she play field hockey, but she also has been playing soccer since kindergarten.

When Semersky is not playing field hockey or soccer, she enjoys hanging out with friends, playing the cello or playing around with Adobe Photoshop. She is also a high honor roll student along and the class president for the class of 2019.

Before 8th grade, Semersky didn’t know what field hockey was, but once she heard of it, she instantly felt a love for the game. As she started watching videos on YouTube and saw the keeper position, she knew that was exactly the position she wanted to learn to play. Semersky feels that being a keeper is more of a mental game rather than a physical one because one needs to be focused at all times. The most pressure is on the keeper, but Semersky likes the adrenaline rush to keep her on her toes.

“It certainly takes a specific kind of person, maybe even a crazy one, to love the pressure of existing as the last line of defense and being pelted repeatedly with a tough, plastic ball,” Semersky said.

Even though Semersky has a lot of pressure on herself, she still maintains her focus; no matter the score, she plays the game like the score is tied up at 0-0 because then her intensity will stay up higher.

“In terms of physically playing, staying on angle to the ball in relation to the goal is also a good playing technique,” Semersky said.

Teammates of two years, junior Karina Steitz and junior Carrie Miller think very highly of Semersky. Steitz admires Semersky’s determination at every practice and game and how she is always smiling on and off the field.

“She [Semersky] is easily one of the most committed players and always tries her best,” Steitz said. “Her effort is motivating on and off the field.”

Some of Semersky’s role models that help her learn new skills are Jess Jecko, who plays for the Women’s National Field Hockey Team and Maddie Hinch, who plays for the Great Britain Field Hockey team.

“I look up to these athletes and feel I can connect a piece of myself to each of these keepers,” Semersky said.

These athletes have worked very hard to get where they are today and are filled with high energy. Semersky is following in their footsteps in hopes of getting a scholarship to play field hockey at a Division I college, just as Jocko and Hinch did.

Semersky has a great future ahead of her in field hockey because being on any varsity sport is a huge accomplishment.

Semersky hopes to keep improving in her final two years at Antioch and into her college years as well.