Clara Gampel leads Pleasant Valley field hockey defense from center | Prep Athlete of the Week

CHICO — The Pleasant Valley field hockey team’s defense has not allowed a goal in any of its five games this season, and a large part of it is being centered around the Vikings’ center defender Clara Gampel.

Gampel, who began playing field hockey her sophomore year, is also a center back for the Vikings’ soccer team and has been a clutch performer who is consistent in her play. Gampel has been an integral part of the Vikings’ shutouts against Davis, Corning, Bella Vista and twice against Red Bluff.

Because of Gampel’s success thus far, she has been named this week’s Chico Enterprise-Record Prep Athlete of the Week.

“Clara is a key member of our defense with her ability to read passes before they are happening and keeping her stick on the ground,” said Vikings’ head coach Stefanie Volk. “Clara always has a positive attitude. She leads by example, is willing to give feedback when necessary and gives her all in everything she does. She is well respected by her teammates. … She started playing hockey as a sophomore and has been a game changer for us ever since.”

For Gampel the idea of playing field hockey began her freshman year of high school, but when the pandemic hit and all sports were played in spring, soccer took priority. Gampel began playing soccer in kindergarten and played club soccer from third grade all the way through her junior year. Field hockey has given her a sport to play in the fall, with soccer being played in the winter.

After missing her freshman season, Gampel felt slightly behind her first season in learning the skills of field hockey. Two seasons later, particularly in the last month, Gampel said her technical skills have increased a lot which has boosted her confidence and on-field play.

When asked about the similarities and differences between soccer and field hockey, Gampel believes there is a lot in common between the two games. The set up of the field, both games are 11 verse 11, the movement aspect from a defender’s standpoint and knowing where to be at times — spatial awareness one might call it.

Gampel said field hockey has helped her in soccer in terms of leadership. With a soccer background and playing the same position, she’s been able to head be a leader on defense.

Formations are different, which was difficult for Gampel to grasp at first, and the game of field hockey requires is much less of a contact sport than soccer.

“In soccer you can use your body in ways you can’t in field hockey which was a challenge for me, but again that’s part of the skill,” Gampel said. “Not to say in soccer you don’t have to have the skill, but with field hockey you can’t use your body in replacement. You have to get around the player, you can’t slide tackle. I think adapting to that, I’ve been able to get better.”

What you might not know

Gampel has become a strong athlete in both soccer and field hockey, but there are several fun facts she shared that one may not know. While some athletes do not eat before games due to nerves, Gampel admitted she “pushes the limits” and eats whatever she wants for lunch before games and said she is often, “struggling for the first 15 minutes in pain and then adrenaline kicks in.”

She loves Christmas, and knows every lyric for every song from the movie soundtrack “Mamma Mia!” She said she slips into periods in which she loves to crochet, and does the New York Times game “Connections” every single day where one matches words with common themes.

For Gampel, both soccer and field hockey have had a tremendous impact on her high school experience at Pleasant Valley. She said without both sports, her experience as a Viking would be, “so different.”

“I think I’d be bored. And I would be less social,” Gampel said. “I think I’m more on the timid side, but I think just sports has given me a confidence I didn’t have before. Knowing that I’m strong in sports has helped me in other areas and given me some extra confidence.”

Gampel and the Vikings (5-0, 5-0 Eastern Athletic League) continue play with three games next week, beginning with a home game against Bella Vista at 5:15 p.m. Monday at Asgard Yard in Chico.