Kylan Clair has plenty of interests in her young life, but one in particular really stands out. “I LOVE organizing things, besides field hockey, that’s my favorite activity,” she says.
The Dexter senior has been organizing big things during her incredible field hockey career for the Dreadnaughts. And asking her to list some of her highlights and favorite moments at Dexter isn’t easy to organize.
The long list begins at the state finals.
“Winning states last year was AWESOME,” she says. “We wanted to be back-to-back state champions from the very first day of preseason and we worked our butts off for it! Working hard every day during practice and playing the best we could in every game leading up to that point was really the most amazing part. It was really a rewarding feeling that all the hard work paid off!”
She even had to take time to organize her thoughts.
“In the moment when we won, it didn’t initially hit me,” she says. “But when I woke up the next morning, I was like holy crap, we are state champions!”
Other highlights includex going to Nationals for Indoor Field Hockey and winning the SEC last year, which included beating the best of the best. The Dreadnaughts returned to the State Finals this year falling 1-0 to Chelsea in last Saturday’s championship match.
“Playing against teams with girls who are strong players and are committed to amazing schools is really fun,” she says. “I always say Id rather play a harder team than an easier one. You get to see what you can improve upon and it is actually so much fun!”
Clair, who played defense for the Dreadnaughts, has received the Scholar Athlete Award every year of high school. She began her field hockey journey in the eighth grade. “I was going to play volleyball but I went to one tryout and didn’t like it,” she remembers. “When I told my best friend about it, she told me to come to a field hockey practice with her. I went and I absolutely fell in love with it! I was really intrigued by the speed of the game and all the interesting rules.”
Clair started playing for Pinnacle Field Hockey Club at the beginning of her junior year.
“I knew I wanted to play in college and I saw club as a good resource for becoming a stronger player,” she said. “It has been such an amazing experience and I have made friendships that I know will last forever. The club is run by a really strong group of coaches whose support and guidance is what I value most.”
Clair says Dexter field hockey is special for many reasons – from the coach to the players to the tradition to the high expectations.
“Our goal every year is to be the team who wins the fourth quarter,” she says. “Winning looks different in every game whether it’s actually scoring the most goals, being the faster/more conditioned team, or sticking with our game plan of playing our game.
“Whether you have been playing since you were 5 or if you only started playing since freshman year, everyone brings something to the team. I think our team’s main strength is our team chemistry. When you are playing the sport you love with other people who love it as much as you and who want to accomplish the same things as you, it brings the team and morale to another level. Everyone pushes everyone to be better every day and I think that’s what we do best.”
Clair said when she started playing field hockey she was “terrified” of coach Keely Tamer.
“It wasn’t because she was mean or scary, it’s because she is such a strong, confident and smart woman,” Clair said. “I mean she is the mom of an Olympian so what do you expect! Having the chance to have her coach me in both club and high school field hockey has been an amazing privilege because she knows how I play and learn. She is really one of my main inspirations in field hockey and life.”
Kylan, 17, is the daughter of Nathan and Jill Clair. She has 3.8 GPA and is the president of Interact Club, section and squad leader in Dexter’s marching band and a member of the National Honor Society. She also plays lacrosse and is giving soccer a kick this year for run.
She has committed to Pace University in New York to continue her academic and athletic career!
“I knew I wanted to play in college since my sophomore year and I am really excited that I have the opportunity to do so,” she says. “I went through NCSA which is a recruitment company that came up on my College Board and they were so helpful through the process! I had the opportunity to have a recruitment coach who was assigned to me that was really helpful with questions and advice! (Shout out to Lindsey!) I knew I wanted to go live either in or near a big city when I grew up so for me, that’s where I started my search!”
From the very beginning, Pace was at the top of her list.
“They have an amazing business school, they have a really strong program and I really like how Coach Biordi coaches,” she said. “No one really talks about how tedious and sometimes difficult the recruitment process is but I had amazing support from my family, coaches, and NCSA through the whole thing. Everything about Pace just lined up with what I wanted!”
And Clair appears to be on “pace” for an exciting and enjoyable senior year before she starts organizing the next chapter of her life.
Senior photos by Mishelle Lamarand Photography
