Each year, The Forest Scout Editorial Board selects People of The Year, Scouts who demonstrate exceptional qualities in their respective areas of expertise. Six different categories are recognized: Thespian of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year, Male Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, Musician of the Year, and Person of the Year.

“Even as an incoming freshman, I knew she was different. Most kids are either extremely talented or hard-working, she’s both, and that combination should be celebrated,” Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey Coach Cat Catanzaro said. 

Three years later, after breaking the all-time scoring record for Lake Forest with 74 goals, as senior Varsity Field Hockey Captain Katherine Malloy’s high school career comes to a close, Catanzaro still admires the “heart and dedication she brings to the game” and her impact on the program. 

Malloy began playing field hockey at the age of seven and joined her club team, Windy City Field Hockey, at age nine. As someone with a passion for athletics since day one, she excelled in a number of sports, including field hockey, basketball, and soccer. 

Making LFHS’ Varsity Field Hockey team was what Malloy set out to do from an early age. 

“As an athlete, the most pivotal moment in my life was making varsity field hockey as a freshman,” Malloy said. “I found out I made the team on the bus after a basketball game. Coach Cat called our assistant coach and, on speaker, told me I’d made the team. It was an incredibly special moment for me as what I wanted for so long finally became reality.”

After her field hockey and basketball seasons overlapped freshman year, she ultimately chose to move forward as a field hockey player with the end goal of getting recruited. 

This decision to focus on field hockey paid off. 

With graduation just around the corner, Malloy is currently preparing for the next chapter of her life, which she’ll spend playing D1 field hockey at Georgetown University, majoring in Global Business on a finance track at the Walsh School of Foreign Service.

Malloy is eager to maximize her college experience on an international level by engaging with students from across the globe. 

“I’m extremely excited to attend the SFS because it truly is one of the strongest foreign service schools in the country, and studying Global Business is an amazing opportunity to combine my love of traveling and my passion to immerse myself within other cultures,” Malloy said. “Washington, D.C. is also a culturally diverse city, and I plan on exploring its many museums and restaurants.” 

Despite how “stressful and exhausting” the recruiting process was, Malloy said “the experience was very rewarding as Georgetown is the perfect fit” for her because she believes that no other university offers better opportunities to play the sport she loves, explore a new city, meet people from all walks of life, and possibly prepare her for a law degree post-graduation. 

“I picture Malloy graduating from Georgetown and either entering a very successful law career, becoming a political analyst, or even running for office at some point,” Catanzaro said. 

After working with her closely as his TA this year and having her as a student her sophomore year, English teacher Peter Lubliner awaits great things by Malloy attending a “first-class school where she can expand her horizons, both socially and academically.” 

“Katherine is an amazing person. At school, I think you can easily get [recognized] just for your athletic prowess, but one of the most interesting things about her is that she really loves to travel, and I really like her desire to discover new places and interact with other cultures,” Lubliner said.

After seeing her growth as an athlete, student, and human being for 18 years, Maria Malloy, Malloy’s mother, also cannot wait to see what the future holds for her. 

“She is so disciplined and consistently works to improve herself, whether it’s her running speed or tackling a tough subject at school,” Maria Malloy said. “She is everything we could have asked for in a daughter, and we are looking forward to watching her play a game she loves so much and continuing our travels to Europe, especially Paris, Lake Como, and my homeland of Slovenia.”

While Malloy’s legacy as a Scout has certainly been set in stone, her explosive presence as a player will be missed by many. 

Teammate and fellow Captain Hannah Balmelli said, “Georgetown is beyond lucky to have her because she is super positive on and off the field, knows exactly where to place the ball, and is a quick and strategic player.” 

Catanzaro says she’ll “miss everything about her” because she has the unique ability to lift any program up, no matter what it is. 

“Coaching Malloy is probably one of the hardest and easiest things to do because she soaks up what you say like a sponge. If you tell her to do something, she’ll do it. So, it’s challenging to coach her because you have to be at your best game, but the great part is that I’ve never met a more selfless person who enjoys the work, and she’s earned every bit of success because of that.”