Athletes of the Week: Kelsey Detels & Emily Ryan

An opponent runs down the field, scrambling to pass to her teammate up ahead. Senior and co-captain Kelsey Detels rushes to catch her, swooping her stick in front of the girl and intercepting the ball mid-air. She bounds forward, and passes it to senior and co-captain Emily Ryan, who is already racing towards the opponent’s goal. Without missing a beat, Ryan swings her stick and the ball lands in the net. The crowd roars with approval. It’s Exeter’s first goal of the game. Big Red leads 1-0.

Ryan and Detels are the captains of the girls’ varsity lacrosse team along with senior Bella Edo. Together, they lead a successful group of 29 lacrosse players for the duration of this season. Their cooperative and caring personalities make them charismatic leaders, teammates and friends.

Detels first picked up a stick in the second grade, around the age of seven. Her lacrosse career began with summer clinics in her hometown of Marblehead, Massachusetts. By sixth grade, Detels joined the town league’s select team which was created by her mother the year before for those who wanted to play lacrosse at a more competitive level.

“It was really cool to experience being on a team with such big age differences.”

While her mother was very active in encouraging her, Detels admitted that her reason for going on in the sport stemmed from multiple sources. “I wouldn’t say that [she pushed me], she was pretty active though. I have an older sister too, she was the first one in my family to start playing lacrosse,” she said. In addition to familial motivation, Detels grew to love the sport and once again, by seventh grade summer, jumped back into summer camps.

On how she found Exeter lacrosse, the senior noted that her reason for coming here was not lacrosse. “I came back for the revisit day, my tour guide was Jacie Lemos and I met the team. But, I would definitely say I found the school before the team,” she commented. The fall of that year, she found herself coming to Exeter as a new lower, at the same time as two other defenders and now teammates, seniors Cara and Leah Jones.

Ryan had a similar introduction to lacrosse. Influenced by her dad and older siblings who played lacrosse, Ryan had always been connected to the sport. Ryan credited her siblings for guiding her as a lacrosse player. “I’m really fortunate to have such talented siblings because they have taught me a lot about the game and what it means to be on a team,” she said. The senior officially began playing lacrosse in first grade in her hometown.

Ryan came to Exeter as a prep and noted a different lacrosse environment than she was used to. “It was one of the first times I really got to play with people much older than me,” Ryan explained. “It was really cool to experience being on a team with such big age differences.”

Ryan said that she loves how lacrosse incorporates elements of many other sports like hockey, basketball and soccer. In addition, Ryan explained that she enjoys the “team-oriented” aspect of lacrosse. “The best teams are the ones that work together the best,” she elaborated.

For Detels and Ryan, the opportunity to be the captains of the team is an honor. Detels credited the captains and seniors during her lower year for being her role models. “[The seniors] kind of showed us the ropes. The captains were also welcoming, especially of new lowers,” she said. Currently, Detels and Ryan aim to recreate that same environment for the younger players on the team. “I really want to help everyone grow, especially our big prep class,” Detels said.

Upper Anna Reaman praised the skills and attitude that the captains bring to the team. “They are natural-born leaders with great lacrosse skills and positive attitudes,” Reaman said.

“They are truly able to bring the team together and create a cohesive unit,” Upper Lauren Arkell agreed. “They both have everyone’s interest at heart and are very organized and positive.”

The captains also exhibit extraordinary skill on the playing fields. Detels and Ryan play a defensive and offensive role, respectively. Reaman revealed that Detels is a strong defender who leads the team during games. “Kelsey is one of the best defenders I have ever had the opportunity to play with. She is very vocal and strong, and she is a prevalent leader in the back four,” she said.

Reaman also complimented Ryan’s control of the ball and skill in observing her teammates. “Emily has amazing stick skills and is able to visualize the field in a way that no other player can during the game,” Reman said. Arkell added that Ryan “has a great shot on attack.”

Upper Charlotte Polk pointed out Detels’ exceptional abilities as a teacher on the field. “She has the best way of correcting things you do without being condescending, even a bit.” Not only did she highlight Detels’ abilities as a teacher, Polk stressed how the captain herself leads by example. “She’s just so good, and does everything you know you should be doing,” she said.

Coming off last season, Detels suffered a torn ACL, which took a huge toll on her ability to stay in shape and practice in the offseason. Edo remarked on how despite her injury, Detels did not let her teammates down. “It must be so hard for her but she hasn’t missed a single beat since.”

This season, the captains aim to lead the lacrosse team into an undefeated season. “Right now we’re definitely working for an undefeated season. Last year we went 16-1 and so, as a captain, I really want to work on that,” Detels said.

When asked about what she’ll miss when she graduates, Ryan explained that she will miss all the people that are a part of the team. “I will miss coming out to practice everyday and seeing such hard-working, positive, and talented teammates and coaches. It’s easily the best part of my day stepping on the field to see those faces,” Ryan said.

For Detels, the past two years as a member of the team have been two years of growth both as a person and as a lacrosse player. “I have become such a better defender and I think the team was what made me realize I want to play lacrosse in college, and [Coach] Breen was so instrumental in that.”

Both the co-captains hope to lead this group of girls towards the best season possible and end their senior years with a bang.