Perfect Balance/Fit
Halle Aschenbach is a natural athlete and a competitor and will be attending Temple University in the Fall to continue her field hockey career. When asked what she is most looking forward to about college and the opportunity to be a part of a Division I field hockey program her answer was simple. “I am so excited to bring my field hockey to the next level and to keep learning. I know everyone playing in college is as competitive as I am, which is exciting and scary at the same time.” Her dedication and competitiveness has earned her much success at West Essex and she feels confident that, although the next level will bring its own set of new challenges, she will be prepared. “Having been a part of WEFH for so long, we know everyone’s strengths and weaknesses and have become so close comfortable playing together. Next year, I will be out of my comfort zone and it will be an awesome experience.”
Along with being a three sport athlete, playing field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse, Halle had earned captain two times in her career at West Essex and feels that she has gained ample experience and knowledge that will help her at Temple. She knows exactly what is needed in order to establish and continue positive team cultures. “As a captain, I felt I was able to bring the team together, both in high school and club teams. I was able to bridge the gap between new and returning players and players from different high schools. I felt it was really important for everyone to understand and know each other on and off the field.”
Aschenbach stepped onto every field she played and commanded the ball, her opponents, and the space around her. Her play on the field was exciting to watch because so many of the difficult and well thought out passes she attempted, she made them look simple and flawless. “My biggest strength as a field hockey player is my ability to see the field. I think my experience as a point guard in basketball really strengthened my ability to see a pass and think quickly.” As any athlete knows, the change in play from high school to college field hockey is dramatic and Halle looks forward to all she will learn and the skills she will continue to develop. “I would like to continue to develop offensively. As a midfielder, it is sometimes hard to adjust from playing defense to offense, I think I need to work on being more aggressive offensively.”
Process
So many aspects of Temple University appealed to Aschenbach during the recruiting process, but a major draw for her was the coaching staff. “When I talked to the coaches, I realized they could relate to student athletes because they were so young. I felt like they understood the process and the commitment that is involved because it wasn’t so long ago that they were in the same position.” Aschenbach has a strong connection with the West Essex Field Hockey program and wanted to make sure that, along with a strong coaching staff, she went to a field hockey program that prioritized their culture. “I also think that the Temple field hockey program has that same family feel that I have experienced in high school.”
During the recruiting process it was important for Aschenbach to not only like the field hockey program but to also feel confident in the university as a whole. “I wanted to attend a school that offered a strong athletic environment and school spirit. Temple has both along with having one of the top 3 sports management/marketing programs in the nation which is what I want to study.” Aschenbach’s other deciding factor was the overall feel of the university. “When I visited the campus, I knew that was where I wanted to go. I never considered a ‘city’ school until I saw the campus. It’s a campus feel within the city and there is so much to do.”
High School/GRIT History
When speaking to Halle about how she got involved in field hockey she had the opportunity to speak about her early involvement and exposure to the game. Halle Aschenbach’s older sister, Devyn Aschenbach graduated from West Essex High School in 2018 and went on to play at the collegiate level for Villanova University. “Being the youngest of three sisters, I was always going to games to watch my sisters and their friends play. I knew when I watched field hockey and saw how competitive and good the program at West Essex was, I wanted to be a part of it.”
As a three sport varsity athlete Halle Aschenbach has always had much success in all of her high school sports. As a freshman she was named to varsity in field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. She is now leading her teams as a senior captain to multiple championship competitions including a field hockey Group II State Title and an appearance in the Tournament of Champions for the state of New Jersey. So far, Halle has earned many accolades in all of her sports including 1st Team All Group, 1st Team all Essex/Union Conference, and 1st Team NJ Coaches Award in field hockey. She earned First Team Super Essex Liberty Division in basketball and 2nd Team Super Essex Conference American Division, 1st Team Freedom Conference East Division, and 1st Team All Group 2 in lacrosse. Halle is looking forward to finishing out her senior year strong for both basketball and lacrosse and then begin preparation for Temple University!
Throughout the process Aschenbach has had nothing but appreciation for the people who supported and helped her get to where she is now. “I want to thank my parents for all their support and for doing whatever it took to help me become the player I am. I also want to thank my coaches for always believing in me and my ability and for pushing me to always get better. They never allowed me to think I couldn’t improve and helped me to achieve any goal I set for myself.”
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