Kelsey LeBlanc Readies Herself For The Next Big Step

Kelsey LeBlanc looked down at the list and admittedly was nervous. There were numbers, and figures, and times, and distances and for someone who doesn’t rattle easily, like LeBlanc, she was shaken—just a little.

The recent 2011 graduate ended her sports career as one of the best field hockey players in the area. LeBlanc is so good that she’s landed a field hockey scholarship to one of the country’s top programs at University of Virginia, which was rated No. 3 in the nation this past season. LeBlanc, a two-sport standout in both field hockey and lacrosse, committed to Virginia her junior year and signed her national letter of intent this past February.

While most recent graduates are sunning themselves and relaxing during “Senior Week” down the Jersey Shore, LeBlanc is running and working out, trying to keep up with the Virginia routine and timetable that was sent to her.

“I love field hockey and playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference is the best conference for field hockey in the country, it is a high caliber of field hockey and I’ll be honest, I’m a little nervous looking at what they gave me for their off-season workout,” said LeBlanc, who’s projected to be an attacking midfielder at Virginia. “This is nothing like I did to prepare in high school. It’s pretty intense, a little intimidating. We did five weeks of running, this week is supposed to be a rest week, and I’m still working out.

“I’m doing all my workouts by myself, which is harder, because you don’t know where you are in comparison to others. There are girls in the area that I play with for my club team that are also playing Division I field hockey. I might be able to work out with them. For now, I’m enjoying myself down the shore, trying to relax. I’m supposed to be on vacation and I’m still working out.”

It’s that dedication and commitment that’s made LeBlanc such a high-level athlete in the first place. She started playing field hockey in fourth grade, a byproduct of tagging along with her mother, Kathleen, then the junior varsity field hockey coach at Haverford. She was always exposed to the sport as a child, and in high school, blossomed into a premier player. She led the Fords in scoring her senior year with 20 goals and also led them to their first state playoff appearance since 2008.

“My high school experience has been great,” Kelsey said. “I can’t imagine going through high school without playing sports. I didn’t have to play lacrosse this spring (because of her Division-I commitment to Virginia for field hockey), but I wanted to play. I liked it, playing with the girls, people that I’ve made life-long friendships with throughout high school.

“I think I’m leaving high school satisfied. I worked hard and did all I could, as captain of the field hockey and lacrosse teams. Both teams got further in the playoffs than the previous year. My junior year in field hockey we got knocked out in the districts and we reached states my senior year. In lacrosse, we hadn’t made it to the district playoffs since 2000 and we made it this year. We did a lot more than expected. It was nice to go with a bang.”