In her last season of field hockey, Elena Kellogg, senior, received a number of accolades. Not only was she named most valuable player (MVP) of the United Field Hockey team, but she was also named Offensive Player of the Year for the Suburban Conference Green Pool and the All-Conference First Team. The right midfielder is a great asset to the team, and her hard work has not gone unnoticed. 

    “[Kellogg] has definitely had a pretty big impact,” Madelaine Province, junior, said. “She is such a valuable asset; she works so hard. She has so much energy. She never stops going. She is one of our only players that never needs to get subbed out. Regardless of her stamina, she also has amazing stick skills, and she can get around anyone.” 

    In this past season, Kellogg really picked up the steam towards the end of the year scoring seven goals in the last seven games of the season, also scoring two goals in the team’s first game of districts vs Clayton. 

    “I think I impacted my team by motivating them and keeping the energy high, because I know I always get even more hyped up in a game when my teammates are scoring and especially if I played a part in it,” Kellogg said.

    Elena continues to impress everyone she plays in front of, especially her coaches.

    “She has been a key player in our offense using her tenacity, technique, speed and endurance,” Marisa Sheppard, coach, said. “She can nimbly weave her way through multiple defenders, which she often had to do when teams would double- or triple-team her. Elena’s consistent and dedicated presence was a great example for her teammates throughout the years.”

    Kellogg even showed this determination when she had to borrow a stick from another coach in their 5-0 vs Pattonville on Sept. 29th. And she did not disappoint. 

    “I was thrilled to have Elena using my new stick whose name is ‘Queen Bee,’” Julie Murphy, coach, said. “It gave the Queen Bee an opportunity to score some goals and made Elena’s drive even more threatening.”

    Kellogg can even show the young players what to do to be as good of a player as she is.

    “Whenever I played with Elena she encouraged me to work really hard and keep trying to get better at field hockey,” Lily Scharff, freshman, said. “She helped me improve because I was able to watch her play during games and at practice. I could use certain techniques that I saw her use that worked really well.”

    The star senior led the team not just through wins but losses as well. 

    “Elena was a steady and effective leader by always modeling the dedication, determination and poise we wanted the United Athletes to have,” Murphy said.