Senior Spotlight: Hun’s Chessie Ross
As the spring sports season has been canceled, The Trentonian continues to recognize the girls lacrosse seniors that were denied their final season. Chessie Ross is a threesport athlete at Hun excelling in soccer and ice hockey along with lacrosse. A strong defender on the lacrosse field, Ross was a force in not only limiting opportunities but initiating the transition game.
Here are some of Chessie’s thoughts on the season and life.
JO’G » How has this shutdown and cancellation of the season changed you? CR» Growing up in Maryland, I have had a lacrosse stick in my hands since Kindergarten and have been playing at a high level ever since so missing my senior season has been tough. I cannot remember ever having this much free time without my busy, daily practice and game schedule. As disappointed as I am to lose my final lacrosse season of high school, I understand the reason and the importance of flattening the curve and saving lives. It’s still about good teamwork as we practice social distancing to protect our community.
JO’G » What makes playing defense so much fun for you? CR» I love playing defense! As a defender in both lacrosse and ice hockey, I am always positioning myself in the best possible way and moving my feet to guard and protect my goalie while constantly thinking and anticipating what play or shot is coming next. I have to be both quick and patient as well as gritty and a good communicator. I love that my teammates rely on me and trust that I will be where I am most needed. JO’G » What were your hopes and expectations for this season?
CR» I was looking forward to being a part of a strong, cohesive team on and off the field. We worked very hard during winter workouts and pre-season to create a positive team spirit. I think we were building something special.
JO’G » What are you plans for the fall?
CR» I will be attending Boston University with the intention of majoring in Environmental Policy. CR» As a hockey player, how tough was the Mercer County Tournament final? CR» The 2020 MCT Final was a tough loss for Hun. I did not play with the boys this season, only for my 19UAA Princeton Tiger Lilies team, so I was not on the ice for the loss, but it sure was a hard 3rd period to watch from the stands. I had a great experience playing Hun boys ice hockey during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons!
JO’G » If you were asked to give a speech at graduation what would the theme be? CR » Given the current global pandemic, the theme of my graduation speech would focus on resilience. The Class of 2020 has received a crash course in this skill. We must be strong and look past this temporary setback in order to move forward and pursue our dreams. Getting through this difficult time, missing our senior year memories and usual ritesof-passage, and being flexible, focused, and positive will only make us better prepared for and ready to handle future challenges.
JO’G » What one thing does the world need to know about Chessie Ross?
CR» I am a huge Star Wars fan!
Follow Joe on Twitter @j_ogorman819 and contact him at jogorman@ trentonian.com