Olympic Gold Medalist Kendall Coyne Schofield Visits Palos West

Olympic gold medal hockey player Kendall Coyne Schofield recently visited her alma mater, Palos West Elementary, where she spoke to students about her career and as a member of the USA Olympic hockey team.

Coyne Schofield got her start playing hockey at 3 years old and continued through her time as a student at both Palos West Elementary and Palos South Middle School and into high school and college. She told the Palos West students that it wasn’t always easy being the only girl on all-boys hockey teams but that she persevered due to her love of the sport, and with the support of her parents and Palos 118 teachers.

She said that challenges and adversity along the way taught her lessons on perseverance. She said that she was heartbroken when she didn’t make a travel hockey team early on but realized she could only succeed by focusing on what she could control.

“The greatest part of adversity is the way you choose to respond to it,” she said.

“There are two things you can control—your work ethic and your attitude,” she added.

This helped, she said, when she tried out for the 2010 Olympic hockey team but was cut. She used the set back as an opportunity to work harder and improve her game. She would go on to play on silver medal-winning teams in 2014, and 2022, and a team that won gold in 2018.

“If you love something pursue it and surround yourself with people who build you up and support you,” she told the students.

Palos West principal Jennifer Peloquin told students at the assembly that in addition to all of her accomplishments on the ice, Coyne Schofield also recently became a published author with the release of her memoir, As Fast As Her, which came out in January.