Medcalf Shines In Soccer, Hoops And Homework

Wednesday - August 09, 2006
By Jack Danilewicz
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The soft-spoken manner that endears Ashley Medcalf to people has been known to fade into the background when she steps onto the athletic field.

But that’s all by design for the Waipahu native, who’s working on her leadership skills.

“(Christian Academy) Coach Raymond (Park) is always talking to me about speaking up; he’s tried to get me to be more assertive,” Medcalf laughed.“I’ve been coming out of my shell lately. I’m not as shy as before. I was a captain last season (at C.A.), so I have to be able to help out, encourage people and give instruction when I have to.”

None of this is an easy adjustment for Medcalf, but her natural athletic ability automatically makes her a leader by example. A senior this fall at Christian Academy in Honolulu, she has long-since been considered one of the top athletes in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu for her prowess on both the basketball and volleyball courts. Her exploits on the soccer field - as a member of Pac-Five - have also caught the notice of college coaches. She was an All-ILH selection by the coaches in all three sports.

This weekend, she was in San Diego to compete with Leahi Soccer Club in a national soccer tournament. The week before, she competed on the Hawaii-Select all-star basketball team that took second place in the Vision Sports National Youth Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas.

In all, she has made four Mainland trips this summer - three of them for soccer, including a pair to Idaho in addition to the Las Vegas trip.

She was the only player among the 12-member Hawaii-Select team from a Division II school and found herself among some of the state’s best players. She proved to be a vital addition to the team, according to Chico Furtado, Kalaheo boys’ coach as well as the head coach for Hawaii-Select. “Playing in Division II is probably a little under her skill level,” said Furtado, who won five Oahu Interscholastic Association titles as Kalaheo’s girls coach. “Hawaii-Select was a good experience for Ashley because it gave her a chance to play at a higher level. She’s a great kid, a team player, and she was a pleasure to have around.”

At Christian Academy, Medcalf has had her share of big games, scoring as many as 37 points in one encounter. But she is perhaps more deeply rooted in soccer, having begun that sport at age 5.

“My dad (Tom) signed me up for AYSO, and I caught on really quick. I found that I was pretty good - my coaches said I had the golden toe - and a couple of years later, I played for HISA and became more serious about it. That was the turning point for me (in soccer).

“Soccer is not necessarily my favorite sport, but it is my main focus right now,” she added. “I’ve been getting more exposure for soccer because of the trips I’ve made. The trip with Hawaii-Select was my first trip for basketball. It was a good experience. I learned a lot of new things watching and playing with such great players.”

Because she is currently “first or second” in her class at Christian Academy, she will qualify for her share of academic scholarships, but she would like to play college sports and hasn’t ruled out playing both soccer and basketball at the next level should the opportunity arise. Medcalf credits her family with cultivating her interest in sports. Her older sisters both played sports at Christian Academy. “My dad has been pushing me since I was young,” Medcalf said. “He always encourages me to try my best in everything I do, and my mom (Kui-Heui) is really supportive.”

An aspiring doctor, Medcalf knows her days of competitive sports won’t last forever, but she’ll find a way to remain active, she said.

“I’ll miss it when I get older,“she said. “Maybe I can find an adult league to play in.”

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