Kate McCool selected to play in All American Lacrosse Classic

Rancho Santa Fe lacrosse standout Kate McCool has been selected to represent the Southwest Region in the 2020 Under Armour All American Lacrosse Classic Underclass Tournament in Baltimore, Md. The prestigious high school tournament will be played Aug. 6-7.

Kate, a sophomore at The Bishop’s School, currently plays for Sky Walkers Lacrosse 2023 Blue team based out Baltimore, a top 10 lacrosse team in the nation. She is the only Californian on her Sky Walkers team as well as the Southwest Region team, which includes players from Colorado, Texas and Arizona.

“I was really excited that I made it,” said Kate, who plays defense. “The girls on the Under Armour teams are the best in the country and that’s what I come out to Baltimore for, to play against the highest level of competition.”

The Aug. 6-7 event will follow US Lacrosse’s “Return To Play” protocol, which follows federal, state and local public health guidelines and mandates.

As a freshman at Bishop’s, Kate also played varsity field hockey and varsity soccer in addition to lacrosse. Additionally, she was a midfielder for three years on a US Soccer Developmental Academy team, which folded in April 2020 due to the pandemic. She now plays on an Elite Clubs National League (ENCL) team with the Del Mar Carmel Valley Sharks.

Although there are a lot of sports in the mix, “Lacrosse is my priority,” Kate says.

Kate started playing lacrosse recreationally with RC Lacrosse when she was in sixth grade and got more competitive as an eighth-grader. She credits her first coach Kaitlin Doucette, also the girls varsity head coach at Torrey Pines High School, for helping her develop a true love for the game.

The pandemic cut her freshman lacrosse season short but during quarantine, she continued practicing with her younger brother who also plays lacrosse. Her soccer team also provided workouts to do at home to stay ready.

Trying out for the Baltimore Sky Walkers team was a long process and this is her second year with the team. She goes out to Baltimore with her parents for the summer and during the fall season she goes out to play with the team in tournaments.

Being in Baltimore, Kate has grown to love the East Coast and hopes to continue her lacrosse career in college there.