Rosati-Kain graduate Kateri Heithaus certainly will be busy this summer. She’s volunteering at the Variety summer camp, going on vacation with her parents and six siblings, and preparing for her move to Pennsylvania, where she’ll attend King’s College this fall. There, she’ll hit the rink as part of the women’s ice hockey team. Kateri has played the sport most of her life, including stints with the Blues organization and, most recently, the Dallas Stars.
How did you become interested in hockey?
I started playing when I was 4. My dad always loved the game, so he got me and my siblings involved. I started out with the boys, then moved to a girls’ team. I joined the AAA Lady Blues team when I was 14.
Have there been any challenges taking on a traditionally male sport?
I’ve always used it as part of my fierceness. I have five brothers, so I grew up as one of the boys. I enjoy embracing my ability to do anything a guy can.
What is your favorite thing about playing?
It feels good to skate down the ice really fast with the wind in my face. Hockey gives me time to just focus on the game; I don’t have to think about anything else but playing. I also think it has taught me a lot as a person. I’ve learned sportsmanship and independence, and I’ve gotten to travel. No one type of person plays hockey; I’ve met so many different personalities through the sport.
You also play lacrosse?
I helped start the team at Rosati-Kain. It definitely was one of the highlights of high school. Previously, the school had a club team, but last year, lacrosse became an official sport. We won our first game at state, and it was a blast.
What other extracurriculars were you involved in at school?
As a Rosati-Kain student ambassador, I gave tours to incoming freshmen and helped at events. I also worked with campus ministry and was part of the National Honor Society. These experiences have been a huge part of my personal growth. I feel like the first thing people know about me is my name, and the second is that I play hockey. But I don’t want to be defined by one sport. I really enjoy having the opportunity to be involved with other things.
How has it been watching the Blues’ success this season? Any hard feelings watching them beat the Stars?
It’s been awesome. I always cheer for the Blues. That’s my hometown team and definitely where my loyalty lies, but it was kind of funny. My family teased me a lot because I have both my Blues and Stars jerseys hanging in the basement. During the series, they kept telling me I needed to take down the Dallas one or put an ‘X’ over it.
Sponsored by: Sport Court St. Louis
As part of its sponsorship, Sport Court made a donation to Gateway Locomotives on behalf of Kateri.