The Jewish Link and The Humble Toast would like to recognize Lily Acton as this week’s Sportstar of the Week. Lily is the star freshman hockey goalie for the recently crowned Frisch girls hockey championship team. She was deservedly named the championship game MVP after backstopping the team to a 1-0 double-overtime, shutout victory over SAR. This followed a 3-0 shutout over Kushner in the semifinals and a regular season where Lily gave up no more than one goal in any game. When asked about his goalie, Frisch hockey coach Yaak Lisker told The Jewish Link, “Lily brings it all everytime she steps on the court. She is a self motivated player who is constantly working to improve all aspects of her game. She watches video of NHL goalies to learn from the best. She is hungry for critique and immediately works to fix any flaw in her game. Over the course of the season, Lily has blossomed into a star goalie, perhaps becoming the best goalie in the league in her first year. Her dedication to her craft and the team is the epitome of what every coach hopes for in a player.” Yeshivat Noam coach Leora Sulimanoff added, “I knew Lily was going to be a superstar from the moment she tried out in sixth grade as a goalie. Then Covid hit and knocked out hockey for two years. But even then, she told me she was practicing until we could start again. By eighth grade, she was an all-star goalie and the envy of coaches everywhere. Lily is not just a natural talent, she puts 110% into being the best goalie she can be. She is always training and working to improve. She is an incredible team player and filled with midot on and off the court.”
Lily, congrats on the championship and on being recognized as this week’s Sportstar of the Week! Who is your role model and why?
My grandmother is my role model because she is always welcoming, and helps people in need. She inspires me to try my best, and is my constant cheerleader.
What is your favorite sport?
Hockey, because it’s the first sport where I found my passion. Having never played a day of hockey in my life, I decided to try out as goalie for the Yeshivat Noam Knights hockey team in sixth grade. I knew that sixth graders had a slim chance of making the team, but since few people tried out for goalie, my odds greatly increased. Lucky for me, Coach S picked me and started me on my goalie journey. This year that journey continued at Frisch where I put on skates for the first time this past fall to be the ice hockey goalie, and continued with floor hockey in the spring.
What is your pregame routine?
Before every game I do my stretches and goalie drills to be well conditioned for the game. But my most important routine is to say Tehillim from my Bobby Leah’s Tehillim book. When she was alive, Bobby Leah said Tehillim during my mom and her siblings’ important events, so saying Tehillim from her sefer makes me feel like she’s saying Tehillim for me.
What is your greatest sports accomplishment?
Every save is a great accomplishment! However, my greatest accomplishments were the saves I made during the double overtime sudden death periods of the Frisch vs. SAR championship game.
Favorite athlete and why?
I don’t follow professional sports, but my favorite athlete is my younger sister Noa. She’s a superstar soccer player at Yeshivat Noam and Teaneck FC. She practices multiple times a week, and even when she’s tired never gives up.
What is your earliest sports memory?
My earliest sports memory was my dad coaching my Teaneck soccer team. Even though we weren’t that great, he was always positive and took us out for ice cream after every game. Eventually I realized hockey was my sport.
What is your funniest sports memory?
My funniest sports memories are of my mother and little sister Ariana jumping over the boards during each period break of the Noam games handing out strawberries to me and my teammates to energize us as we strategize.
What is your favorite thing to do when you are not playing sports?
When I’m not playing sports I love to hang out with my friends and family.
What is your favorite sports memory?
Not sure anything can top last week’s championship victory. The Frisch hockey team worked so hard, and “we don’t stop!” I will also never forget the moment the league commissioner handed me the MVP trophy.
What is the best thing about being a Sportstar?
The best thing about being a Sportstar is making my team and coaches proud.
The Humble Toast Star of the week will receive a $25 gift card to The Humble Toast. Please send nominees for an upcoming The Humble Toast Jewish Link Stars of the Week to [email protected].
By Jewish Link Sports Desk
