Athlete of the Week: 10 questions with Kennedy Glinn, New Trier field hockey and softball
Kennedy Glinn is a rising senior goalkeeper for Trevians field hockey and infielder for Trevs softball.
1. Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions?
For softball, I usually put my softball bag at the end of the dugout no matter where that is, especially at New Trier, I have a usual place. For both (sports), I wear my hair in a braid no matter what.
2. Do you have plans for after high school?
I recently committed to Bates College (Lewiston, Maine) to play field hockey. But I am hoping to walk on to the softball team, too. I probably will; I have had a few conversations with the coaches.
3. Why Bates?
I always knew I wanted a liberal arts education, because of the strong academics and small school. I love the idea of going to a small school and having a community around you that you can be really close to. Coach (Dani) Kogut, the field hockey coach, really made me feel the love and passion she had for the program. I wanted to go to a school where everybody wanted to win.
4. Field hockey or softball?
Everyone asks me that question. I don’t have a favorite. They both have given me so much. I grew up playing softball, and I didn’t start field hockey until the summer going into freshman year. I have two different teams full of people that I love and love playing with. It’s impossible to pick a sport.
5. When did you know you were into field hockey?
I went through freshman year and was just doing it for fun. It wasn’t really serious, but going into sophomore year, that summer, I really dialed in and realized how much I really enjoyed it. I love the intensity of being a goalie, getting all those shots. It’s something I really fell in love with going into sophomore year.
6. What is your dream job?
I really want to go to med school to be a doctor — probably a pediatrician. I’ve always loved science and my science classes and really want to do something where I can help people.
7. What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?
I love going to the beach with my friends and reading a good book. Just hanging out with my friends. I’m pretty social.
8. If you’re in Walgreens with a couple bucks, what are you buying?
Probably Oreos and maybe some gum and Vitamin Water. I love Vitamin Water. I like the pink one.
9. What is something people don’t know about you?
I grew up in Miami and I moved here in the seventh grade. That’s one of the reasons that field hockey was so new to me; it wasn’t really popular in Miami.
10. What do you hope to accomplish your senior year?
We definitely want to take back the (field hockey) state championship. (New Trier’s run of four state championships was halted in 2023 with a runnerup result.) That is definitely the No. 1 goal for all of us. I also want to take on a leadership role. Being in the backfield, it’s my job to control that. … We will have a newer team, so I think just taking back the state championship even though we will be a much younger and some say more inexperienced team. We’ll have a lot of underclassmen, so taking a leadership role and bringing intensity and getting that state title gain.
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Joe Coughlin
Joe Coughlin is a co-founder and the editor in chief of The Record. He leads investigative reporting and reports on anything else needed. Joe has been recognized for his investigative reporting and sports reporting, feature writing and photojournalism. Follow Joe on Twitter @joec2319