Kelter’s Olympic dream took a turn
come from side stepping, and I attribute that to my childhood and all the coaches that led me to being a national team soccer player and a national team hockey player,” Kelter said. “I wouldn’t be that rugby player, that Olympic rugby player without that.”
Shortly after she learned she had been cut from the U.S. Olympic hockey team, Kelter was back in her home and taught her how to tackle, how to pass and everything in between.
About three months into playing rugby, she was on tour, playing in her first game in China.
“Because she had played those other sports, that has helped her with the transition quickly, whereas if you’re just starting and rugby’s the first thing you do, it will generally take a lot longer, so she fast tracked through a lot of stuff because of her soccer and hockey background,” U.S. coach Richie Walker said.
Walker said Kelter’s soccer experience helped with her footwork, as she is one of the main kickers on the team, and her ice hockey experience probably helped with her vision, running into gaps and being strong in contact.
For Kelter, even though she didn’t wind up becoming an Olympian in either of the sports she intended, all the hard work she put into soccer and hockey eventually made her Olympic dreams come true.
“I believe everything happens for a reason and that doors open and close,” Kelter said. “It’s not my plan, but in the end, it’s something I would never have seen coming and I’m so blessed to be a part of it now.” Contact Betsy Helfand at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BetsyHelfand on Twitter.