Agnes Irwin midfielder Kacy Hogarth is Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week
The sophomore midfielder played a vital role in the Owls’ four consecutive wins last week, collecting four goals and four assists while playing sharp defense. Agnes Irwin head coach Lauren Wray said, “Kacy is a two-way midfielder whose speed shines between the restraining lines and she dominates ground balls in the defensive end.” A fine all-around athlete, Hogarth also plays field hockey for Agnes Irwin. Off the field, she belongs to the school’s Model UN Club.
Q: What do you think has been the biggest key to the team’s recent success?
A: In recent practices, we have been extremely focused and pushing each other to the limit due to our tough schedule. We always preach the idea that the way you practice is the way you play.
Q: Tell us a little about your off-season lacrosse training last winter.
A: I worked with a trainer, Antonio Davis (Premier Sports Academy), all winter for strength and conditioning and definitely felt the improvement going into preseason. The team tries to go outside and shoot as much as we can, assuming the field isn’t covered in snow. Agnes Irwin also allows us to use the gym before school if we want to do some wall ball!
Q: What did it mean to you to play in the Katie Samson Lacrosse Festival? What is your most vivid memory of that game – can you share it with us? If it was a particular play, can you share with us how the play developed, and your role in it?
A: Stepping out on the field with the seniors for their last Katie Samson game was very special because I have looked up to them since eighth grade. Whenever it’s their last event of any sort with us, all the younger kids take it to heart. Our [seniors] are such amazing leaders on and off the field.
Q: Have you always played midfield? What attracted you to the position? What attributes do you feel are most important for a midfielder?
A: I have been a midfielder since I first started playing lacrosse because I love to run. When I watch some of the best midfielders at the college level, they all acquire field vision and a talent for grabbing 50/50 balls.
Q: Coach Wray mentioned your skill in collecting ground balls, particularly on the defensive end. What has been the biggest key to your success in this area?
A: Grabbing 50/50 ground balls is a huge part of the game in lacrosse, but the ball wouldn’t be on the ground if it weren’t for our defense. In warmups, I force myself to get low and run through the ground balls. I am hard on myself if I get lazy because you can’t go through the motions in games.
Q: You wear No. 32 for Agnes Irwin. Was there a reason you chose this number – does this number have any significance to you?
A: I have it because that is the number that former Duke basketball player, Christian Laettner, wore for the Blue Devils.
Q: Who have been your biggest lacrosse mentors, and what was the most important thing each of them taught you?
A: My grandfather, whom I call Bubba, is my biggest mentor. He taught me the importance of competing from a very young age and why it is important to work hard. Every day in the summer, he makes all the kids and my dad go to the gym with him at 6 a.m. To add on, my brother David, who plays college baseball for William and Mary, was so tough on me when we were kids. We used to fight all the time and he would always make me cry. But the older I got, the tougher it made me. Also, Coach Wray’s words mean a lot to me, especially when she gives the team corrections about offense. She played at the highest level so I trust whatever advice she gives us.
Q: What is your favorite academic subject at school? Is there a career path that particularly interests you at the present time?
A: My favorite subject in school is math. My dream is to work in an investment firm in New York City!
Q: What extracurricular activities are you involved in at Agnes Irwin other than lacrosse and field hockey?
Fun facts – Kacy Hogarth
Favorite book: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
Favorite author: Charlotte Bronte.
Favorite TV show: Stranger Things.
Favorite movie: Remember the Titans.
Favorite athlete: Usain Bolt.
Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Fall Out Boy’s, Centuries.
Favorite team: University of Michigan football team.
Favorite place to visit: California.
Favorite pre-game meal: Chicken Caesar Salad.
Person I most admire: “I have always admired Steph Curry, not because he is a star in the NBA, but because he is very short compared to his opponents and still holds his own no matter what.”
(To be selected as Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by her coach.)
To view a gallery of the Main Line Girls Athletes of the Week from 2013 to 2018 click here
