Emily Palilonis to compete in AAU Junior Olympics
By: Sean Moylan
Every year, 56,000 girls play high school varsity field
hockey in the United States. Of those 56,000 girls, 4,000 are selected to
partake in a special future’s development program.
Then from those girls, 400 are chosen to participate in a
special tournament. And from that tournament, 112 of the most gifted and
talented girls from the entire country are picked to play in the AAU Junior
Olympic Games, which will be held from July 30 to Aug. 5 in Orlando, Fla.
Emily Palilonis, who will be a sophomore this fall at the
Peddie School, was one of the selected few to be invited to the event.
But then again, Palilonis always has been a special
player. The only freshman to make Peddie’s varsity field hockey team,
Palilonis shocked many by coming in and earning the starting position at
center back this past year. Then, months later, she was picked to start at
the cover point position on Peddie’s highly respected girls’ varsity
lacrosse team.
One might ask how a girl can reach such heights so fast,
but in Palilonis’ case the answer is easy. During her eighth-grade year at
Kreps Middle School, she was an integral member of one greatest middle
school field hockey teams ever. That team went 14-0 and put up stats that
boggle the mind. Despite all this, Palilonis’ whole field hockey career got
under way quite by accident.
"In sixth grade, me and my best friend, Sarah Mitchell
(who now attends Hightstown High School), decided we didn’t want to play
soccer anymore. So we tried out for field hockey," said Palilonis.
Palilonis was an instant success. First as a star
defender on the Kreps junior varsity squad and then as a varsity back.
Yet, despite her many accomplishments, there is still one
goal Palilonis has yet to attain.
"I’ve never scored a goal during any season," said
Palilonis, who has scored in tournaments.
More than a year ago, as an eighth-grader, Palilonis was
picked to take part in the future’s program. But, being so young, she
didn’t make the cut for the tournament team.
Now, much of her life centers around field hockey. Last
November she was a gold medalist at the National Field Hockey Festival. And
this year she again will participate in the West Palm Beach event. She also
won a gold medal at an indoor field hockey tournament held in Lancaster
several months ago.
On defense, the young center back uses a series of
blocks, tackles and jabs to keep offensive players from getting by her.
Speed is Palilonis’ No. 1 weapon.
"It’s easier when you’re fast," added Palilonis, who can
cut down almost anyone’s angle.
When she goes down to Orlando on July 30, Palilonis will
be practicing and playing against her 111 age-16-and-under teammates for a
spot on the AAU Junior Olympic Team. During such tournaments teams can play
up to two or three 40-minute games a day. However, if she is selected for
the national team, she’ll get a short break in between.
"If you advance, they give you a month off," said
Palilonis, who seems undisturbed about working hard.
Somehow, despite everything going on in her busy life,
Palilonis found time for her studies last year.
"I made honor," noted the young star, whose report card
was filled with nothing but A’s and B’s. And while Palilonis doesn’t
actually live on the Peddie campus like many students do, she lives only a
block away from the school. Therefore, she has the freedom to go home for
lunch if she so chooses.
It takes a certain mind-set to be a great defender. One
needs to be patient, aggressive and persistent – sometimes all at once.
Palilonis’ game contains all those attributes. That is why she was selected
to the New Jersey 16-and-under state squad and that’s why in a few weeks
she could be a member of AAU Junior Olympic National Field Hockey Team.
Until then, though, she’ll be running, doing situps and pushups and practicing her hitting. The great ones never rest. And at 15 years f age,
Emily Palilonis is certainly a great one in the making.