By: Tanya Chang and Hayley Strahs
Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief
Just because the school year is coming to a close doesn’t mean that senior Leaya Cleary’s field hockey career has to end as well. In the fall, Cleary will continue her athletic and academic endeavors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Growing up in the Netherlands, where field hockey is exceedingly popular, Cleary has played the sport since the age of six. She recalled how she and her classmates would bike to practice after school, as field hockey was the sport that everyone played there. Even after moving to the United States, Clearly continued with her sport, holding on to the connection it gave to her childhood home. Despite experiencing “ups and downs” with field hockey over the years, Cleary said she always found herself returning to the sport because of her genuine passion. Positioned as an inner and the captain of the varsity team in the 2025 season, Cleary has become known not only for her athletic ability but also for being well-rounded in balancing advanced coursework with demanding practices and stepping into her leadership role during intense matches.
In addition to its athletic opportunities, MIT will open countless doors for Cleary in the scientific world. Between enjoying her physics and biology classes and spending a summer interning at an oncology biomedical drug company, Cleary fell in love with the discipline. Although unsure if she wants to attend medical school or focus on the engineering side of things, Cleary is looking forward to “taking advantage of those opportunities [that MIT offers], meeting people, finding something that I like and that I enjoy and want to do for the rest of my life.”
For Cleary, one of the most meaningful parts of field hockey has been the sisterhood the team has created. Over the course of four years, the teammates have become more than people she plays alongside; they have become people whom she can rely on, as she reflected, “I know I can call up any of those girls and ask for help or just hang out, even if I don’t talk to them every day.” She explained that her team is often referred to as a family because of everything they have experienced together, from winning the championship to celebrating their accomplishments at the many pasta feeds. Cleary added that many of them would never have known each other if it weren’t for this sport, building on the significance of those relationships to her.
As she moves on to the next chapter of her life, Cleary’s time on the LGHS field hockey team will continue to impact her. Cleary reminisced about “having fun these last four years with the team, and just really enjoying every moment because high school has flown by so fast.” Wherever the Massachusetts wind takes her, Cleary will no doubt flourish.