Being in front of the goalposts is nothing new to Roe, who had been playing as a goalkeeper in soccer since she was a child. Since 7th grade, her interest shifted to field hockey.
“Well, I quit soccer because I realized it wasn’t the sport for me,” Roe said. “I played soccer goalie, and I decided why not give field hockey a shot since I love sports. I had been playing soccer since I was really little, around five, and when I got older, it got a lot harder, so I decided to switch sports.”
However, the transition between the two sports was relatively easy for Roe due to the similarities between her roles in the two different sports.
“I was a soccer goalie for pretty much all the years I played soccer, and so it definitely helped me realize I’m not a field player and I should go straight to goalie when I joined field hockey,” Roe said.
Regardless of Roe’s minimal experience with field hockey, she quickly rose to success in her position due to her commitment and desire to improve.
“I had 300 saves and an 84% save percentage, which is a high percentage for that many shots. I had a great season, it was super fun,” Roe said.
She credits her success partly to her love for the sport and her willingness to persist and learn more about the sport.
“I think at first I really fell in love with the sport, and so I stuck with it,” Roe said. “So I started playing at a club team all year round. I do camps and clinics to build up my level. I train twice a week.”
Aside from her dedication, Roe shines a light on her growing, encouraging team.
“My team really supports me. The defense is awesome, the offense is awesome. We’re really building together as a team. We’re losing a few seniors, but we’ll have awesome new freshmen. We’re hoping to have a great year next year, too.”
Sophomore Kasey O’Sullivan describes Roe as the glue of the field hockey team, not only doing her job as a goalkeeper but also helping lead the field both during games and practice.
“Laila is very genuine and watching her teach our new JV goalie Ella Degnan all the tips and skills shows how she’s helping everyone while also making so, so many saves in the net,” O’Sullivan said.
Roe’s ability to analyze the game and her communication skills allow her to advocate and make smart decisions during games, helping the entire team.
“She never hesitates to lift up her team and encourage others on and off the field,” senior Lucia DiPalma said. “Laila is a leader, as a goalie too she can see things on the field that we can’t, she used that to help direct us and gave us great input during games.”
Without the support of her team, coaches, and family, Roe believes she would never be able to reach her current level.
“All my coaches have supported me, and all my family has supported me,” she said. “For tournaments that we had to travel far away to and everything, they’ve shown a lot of dedication.”
Varsity field hockey coach Carly Reid praises Roe for her contribution to the team and her ability to be a leader on the field.
“Laila is the quiet force in the net that has really saved so many shots,” Reid said. “She’s a leader in the backfield with her language, always talking and supporting her teammates…She’s just a smart player out there.”
Roe’s love for field hockey was built during each camp, clinic, and training. She offers that, at the end of the day, experience builds love and talent for your sport.
“You have to keep getting better, so I started to play more, and I found that to be key,” Roe said. “Just constantly be exposed to the sport and keep playing!”
