Co-Captain Jenna Castellot ’08 is not only a fierce competitor on the field but also a devoted teammate whose ceaseless inspiration has justly earned The Phillipian female athlete of the term award. A new lower from Newton, Massachusetts, Co-Captain Castellot easily earned a position on the Girls Varsity Soccer Team. Her coaches immediately recognized her impressive skill set, and after two years of outstanding play and dedication, her teammates voted her captain, along with Rosie Raymond-Sidal ’08 and Dana Feeny ’08. Not only has the Andover squad recognized Co-Captain Castellot’s inimitable talent, but Castellot has also been honored throughout New England earning her a position on the Massachusetts All-State team in both 2006 and 2007. She was also named 2007 league MVP by the Boston Globe. A starter throughout her three years at Andover, Co-Captain Castellot proved to be a critical offensive leader. Her countless goals, assists, and electric play elevated the team to a level unseen in recent memory. This year alone she scored two goals while recording one assist. Co-Captain Castellot’s unique ability to couple her natural talent with hard work has formed her into an unstoppable force in New England. In addition to her athletic prowess, Co-Captain Castellot’s teammates also revere her loyal friendship and deep caring toward each teammate. “Beyond her passion for soccer, Jenna takes the time to connect to her teammates going out of her way to make sure everyone knows she’s available,” said Head Coach Lisa Joel. Shannon Necshke ’08 said, “The team wouldn’t be the same without the almost nightly inspirational emails from Jenna about how to focus on important things to come.” Co-Captain Castellot’s versatility has also proven to be for the team. After playing in the striker position for this entire season, the coaches shifted her to the midfield during the NEPSAC championships. Not only did she adjust to the new position, she excelled and remained a dangerous player, as Andover captured the Championship title against Loomis Chaffee. Although Castellot may have given up some personal scoring opportunities as a midfielder, she was more than willing to do what was best for the team. Head Coach Joel said, “Team success has always been more important to Jenna. Her desire to improve comes from her aspirations for the team and she is consistently willing to do anything for her teammates in an unsung heroic type of way.” Earlier this season, Andover faced Loomis in a surprising victory, ending Loomis’ 51-game winning streak in an intense 2-1 battle. As a former Loomis student, the win was especially rewarding for Co-Captain Castellot. The game also helped propel the team into the rest of its season. “Jenna commanded the field. A few minutes into the game she elevated her play to an explosive level feeding the energy of the rest of the team and motivating everyone to play with a new intensity,” said Co-Captain Dana Feeny. Determined to end the season and her Andover career on a strong note, Co-Captain Castellot helped drive the squad from a modest 6-4 record to a 6-0-2 run in its final eight games of the season. Co-Captain Raymond-Sidal added, “During our last game Jenna was paired with an intimidating Loomis competitor. Substantially outsized, Jenna rose to the challenge. She used her speed and agility to outplay the opponent.” Eliza Nguyen ’09 said, “Jenna is the motivator, but at the same time, she is serious. During games, she exemplifies her leadership by always working hard and fighting for every ball. Because of her hard work, the rest of the team wants to follow in her example and work hard as well. She knows a lot about the game and uses that to help other players understand their roles on the team.”
