What is an athlete? Your first thought might be someone who is strong, fast and stands out amongst their competition. Displaying these very talents, girls’ ice hockey player Evelyn Wodzisz’26 has received her eighth varsity letter in the third sport she has played at South. Despite her profound speed and powerful shots on the ice, Wodzisz’s definition of an athlete stretches beyond physical qualities. She believes an athlete is someone who puts their team first, no matter what.
Wodzisz did exactly this in the final game of her ice hockey career in the state championship game on Mar. 7. In a unique circumstance, Wodzisz stepped up to play goaltender for the first time in her high school career, in the sudden absence of the team’s usual starter.
“It was a very interesting experience,” Wodzisz said. “My teammates were all very supportive, and so were my coaches and the crowd, which was really helpful, and I really put it all out there.”
Goaltending at this level of ice hockey is not an easy position to take on. Wodzisz teammate, Eleanor Smith ’26, admires her ability to put the team first, even in these intense situations
“No one else was gonna step up or do it as well as she could,” Smith said “Being willing and being that good of a teammate was one thing, but she actually played so well. It was impressive how little experience she had being goalie, and then she came out and did a really good job.”
Becoming such a well-rounded player did not come without dedication. Through her whole childhood, Wodzisz displayed fierce commitment to her sport.
“During my travel hockey years, it was such a big time commitment, and I was always working on my skills, either with the team or like outside doing private lessons,” Wodzisz said. “More recently, playing other sports has done a good job keeping me in shape and in the right mindset.”
Even through Wodzisz’s tireless efforts mastering three different sports and multiple skills in each of them, her team always comes first. Smith highlights her as one of the most positive members of the team, lifting the spirits of the entire team.
“My favorite memory with Evie at hockey is probably coming into the locker room in between periods,” Smith said. “If we’re losing or if it’s a really hard game and everyone’s really tired and the motivation is down, coming in and sitting next to Evie, she’s got her Nerds Clusters out, and she’s got a smile on her face.”
In varsity-level sports, keeping a can-do attitude can be difficult. Through her high expectations for herself, Wodzisz makes a conscious effort to enjoy the sport all the time.
“I have to remind myself to stay positive, especially if we’re losing by a few goals, I’ve got to remind myself that I’m doing the best that I can and that the whole point of sports is to have fun,” Wodzisz said.
