Senior Elise Koo has carved a remarkable path as a tri-sport athlete at M-A, excelling in flag football, soccer, and softball. Koo’s athletic journey began at a young age, with her soccer career starting at the age of four and her softball career beginning shortly after at five.
While Koo’s initial motivation for starting her soccer journey was her parents’ strong support, Koo’s passion for the game ignited quickly. The game’s rapid nature, as well as its social aspects, drew her in. “This is a very active sport, and fast paced, and it let me meet a lot of new people,” she explained.
Koo’s skills earned her a spot on the varsity soccer team as a sophomore, where she stepped into the role of goalkeeper after the previous senior graduated. “Knowing there were really big shoes to fill since she was so good was challenging,” Koo said. “But I focused on being the best I could be while understanding that everyone makes mistakes.”
Koo considers this transition the most significant challenge of her high school athletic career. To push through the pressure, she looked on the bright side. “I just focused on the fact that I was younger and that it’s not always my fault, and just trying to keep playing as well as I can, even if I get scored on,” Koo said.
Koo has played softball since she was five, but only started playing club softball at the age of 12. In her freshman year, she was a starter on the varsity team. “I was one of the starting pitchers, because we only had my older sister, so we were the only two pitchers basically,” she said. Koo continued to play softball in her sophomore and junior years. In her junior year, she became captain of the team.
Koo’s favorite part about softball is the opportunity for each player to shine. “Every play, there’s something happening. So I feel like there’s always an opportunity for different people to get their big moments,” she said.
Koo made her M-A flag football debut when the team was created her junior year. “I heard about it in my sophomore year, when they were thinking about making a team, and it sounded really fun. When I joined last year, it solidified how I thought it was going to be—just really fun, good team, good coaches,” Koo said.
One of her most memorable experiences occurred this season during the team’s win over Carlmont, which secured their league championship. “Carlmont has never lost before in league, and they’ve always been excellent. I think coming back from last year, since we weren’t very good, and then to this year really shows how much we have progressed,” Koo said.
Koo loves playing flag football the most out of her three sports. “Even though [flag football] is newer, I enjoy it just because it’s been really fun. I think this season, especially, we’ve gotten a lot better,” Koo said.
Across all her sports, Koo reminds herself to remain resilient. “Keep your head up,” she said. “I think it’s just knowing that my teammates are probably feeling the same way and not really wanting to let them down. It’s also just trying to be my best so that I don’t impact the performance of our team,” Koo said.
Beyond wins and losses, Koo says her sports have taught her valuable lessons about teamwork and leadership that apply both on and off the field. “I was captain for softball last year, and I think learning how to stick up for what you want and try to lead the team, but also recognizing what others want and their ideas too, can be applied to academics,” Koo said.
Balancing the demands of athletics and academics has posed its own challenges, but Koo has found that efficiency in doing schoolwork is key. “I just try to be as efficient as possible. So if I get home, I usually just try to start my homework, and then I go to practice, and try my best not to procrastinate,” Koo said.
Overall, Koo has sincerely enjoyed her high school sports career, cherishing the bonding experiences and growth she has made across her three sports. “I think I enjoy making memories with the people around me and building these really special bonds with my teammates the most,” she said.
Koo encourages others to participate in sports during high school. “If you want to do it, just do it, because it’s a great opportunity to meet new people. I think it really adds to the high school experience because of the social aspect,” Koo said.
As she approaches her final seasons of M-A athletics, Koo does not plan to continue playing sports in college. Instead, she hopes to leave a lasting legacy of leadership and mentorship for her younger teammates. “I hope to show them my leadership and hopefully give them experience and teach them valuable lessons, like a big sister role,” Koo said.
Looking ahead, Koo intends to pursue a career in sports media or sports management—continuing her passion for sports in a different way.
