Mackiewicz fits the mold in goal for MHS field hockey team
By: Carolyn M. Hartko
In this area, where field hockey is a sport not tried until high school, good goalies are born, not made. It’s often simply the best-rounded athlete on the team who ends up in the cage. And there’s usually a bit of luck and coincidence involved in the choice.
That was the case for Monroe Township High School goalie Kim Mackiewicz, who’s been the last defender for the Lady Falcon varsity field hockey team for two years. Mackiewicz is a three-season athlete who throws shot put for winter track, and pitches in the softball program.
"I’ve always been an athletic person," the Falcon senior said. "I didn’t want to sit around and do nothing (in the fall), so I just decided to try field hockey. Then, my freshman year, the person who played goalie for us wasn’t able to make it to one game. The coach asked me if I could play. I said ‘sure,’ and then I loved it, and I just stuck with it."
Being a goalie on a losing team can be tough. With a record of 1-7-1, there have been no easy games for Mackiewicz.
"Kim’s definitely a goalie," Falcon head coach Alexandra Shadell said. "She’s aggressive in there. She doesn’t mind getting dirty. She really enjoys being in that cage. You can tell by the way she plays."
Not surprisingly, Mackiewicz spends a good deal of her limited free time involved with sports. She volunteers as a coach for both Pop Warner Cheerleading, and the local recreation softball program. She usually works with the fifth and sixth grades girls in both sports.
All of her sports commitments don’t leave too much time for other activities, but Mackiewicz is a member of Deca (the high school marketing club) and Future Business Leaders of America. Her exposure to business courses at MTHS has opened up a career path for Mackiewicz. She’s planning to major in marketing in college, hopefully at Penn State or James Madison in Virginia. Sports in college will have to take a back seat to academics, so Mackiewicz will probably look to participate in club programs.
Twenty years from now, when people ask Mackiewicz where she was and what she was doing when America’s heart was broken on Sept. 11, she won’t have any trouble remembering. She was in her favorite class.
"I was in my marketing class," Mackiewicz said. "The TV was on in class. We were just shocked. Everyone was just sitting there watching the TV. No one made a sound. It was kind of scary."
The field hockey team had a home game against South Plainfield on Saturday morning, Sept. 20. After the game Mackiewicz and some teammates went across the road to the high school stadium to take part in a walk-a-thon. The money raised was donated to the relief efforts in New York City.
In addition to growing into her position over the past four years, Mackiewicz has also grown into a leadership role on the field hockey team. This fall, she is a co-captain, along with forward Heather Walker.
"Kim is definitely a leader," Shadell said. "And it’s good having her back there as a goalie, as well as a captain. Not only does she see the whole entire field, defense and offense, but she’s there to help out the defense as well."
In spite of the team’s record, Mackiewicz feels things are better than last year, both skill-wise, and in the atmosphere on the squad.
"We’re working so much more as a team," Mackiewicz said. "Everyone gets along. I feel like the East Brunswick game on Saturday was like a new start for us, because we pulled together. It really has me excited for the rest of the season. Our defense has progressed a lot. I can see improvements from a lot of the players, especially the younger players who moved up, like Alexa Cosentino and Melissa Lordi. They really stepped up to help out a lot."
Mackiewicz is a middle child, sandwiched in between two boys. Her older brother Gary, now a sophomore in college, played football and wrestled for the Falcons. The youngest in the family is Brian, and the sixth grader appears to be interested in the same two sports as his older brother. Some of the qualities that make a family work are also important for a team.
"Our strength this year is mainly that we have good communication on the field," K. Mackiewicz said. "Everyone’s always helping to lift each other and offering words of encouragement and stuff like that."
Considering the events that have dominated the headlines recently, words of encouragement are more important than ever.
CORNERS: Although the Falcons lost to East Brunswick 2-1 this past weekend, Shadell called it the best game her squad has played this fall … Monroe lost another close one (2-0) to Piscataway on Tuesday … Walker has recovered from her hand injury and is back in the lineup … The Falcons host Old Bridge today (Friday).

