The Jewish Link of New Jersey and Teaneck Doghouse would like to recognize 14-year-old Kayla Greenberg as this week’s Sportstar of the Week. The eighth grader at Yavneh Academy is playing her third and final year of middle school hockey. The team has been undefeated for the three seasons and has secured a spot in this year’s championship game once again. At a game on March 5, against WDS, they were losing by one. With less than one minute to go, coach Aliza Hiller pulled the goalie out and put Kayla in as an extra offensive player. She scored the game-tying goal with 0:23 left in the third period and kept her team undefeated.
Kayla, yasher koach on another great season. Who are your role models?
My favorite athlete and role model is my coach, Aliza Hiller. It’s inspiring to see how she still plays hockey and loves to teach sports. She helps us, the team, be the best we can be. She pushes us to be the greatest, but she also teaches us to play with midot.
What is your greatest sports accomplishment?
Helping Yavneh Academy girls hockey be undefeated champions (so far) for my three years on the team..
What is your pregame routine, if you have one?
Before a game I like to listen to music with friends to get pumped up and then get all my gear on and go and practice with my team until the game.
What is your earliest sport memory?
Falling down a lot but getting back up.
What is your weirdest sports memory?
I remember when I was really little and played soccer, me and another girl were playing defense and the action was on the opposing side of the field, so we were just doing cartwheels on the field, and the parents were cheering for us calling us the cartwheel girls.
What is your favorite sports memory?
My favorite sports memory would have to be last year after my team won the championship hockey game and we were all celebrating and went out for ice cream. We really felt like a family and to me that’s the best feeling to have on a team.
What is your favorite thing to do when you are not playing sports?
My favorite thing to do when I’m not playing sports is to read, hang out with my friends and eat.
What is the best thing about being a Sportstar?
I wouldn’t call myself a Sportstar, but to me the best part of being an athlete is being part of a team and knowing that you motivate each other and that with every move you make, you make a difference.
The Teaneck Doghouse Sportstar of the Week will receive a $15 gift at the Teaneck Doghouse. Please send nominees for an upcoming Jewish Link of New Jersey and Teaneck Doghouse Sportstar of the Week to [email protected].
