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Published on 10/16/1995 All articles from this issue

Athlete of the Week

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Anne Rippetoe

Los Altos High field hockey coach Kathleen Brown describes junior Anne Rippetoe as the "backbone" of the team.

As the Eagles' center link (like a halfback in soccer), Rippetoe feels she unites her teammates on the field. "The offense and defense are separate ... I join them," she said. "And I can be involved with the attack."

That teamwork has Los Altos off to a 4-1-1 start, its only defeat coming last Tuesday to Lynbrook, 1-0. Although the Eagles lost, Rippetoe said they dominated the rematch between the defending Central Coast Section co-champs.

Rippetoe, a defender on Los Altos' CCS champion soccer team, has been playing field hockey for three years. "You don't have to be big in size to have an impact," she said of the sport. "Soccer is more physical. In hockey, there's more eye-hand coordination."

While she's played soccer for seven years, field hockey has emerged as her favorite sport of the two. She trains in the local Olympic Development Program, and recently participated with the Cal under-16 team at the national tournament in Maryland.

The straight-A student is already looking ahead to playing hockey in college, preferably at a school in the New England area with good academic and athletic programs.

But for now, Rippetoe has her hands full with both field hockey, soccer and homework. "Ever since junior high, I've gone from sport to sport," she said last week, coming from hockey practice and going to club soccer training. "But sometimes there's not enough hours in the day."

Note: Rippetoe and the Eagles wish to thank their unknown friend who bought them breakfast recently at Hobee's.

- Andy Nystrom