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Gargiulo Made Her Home in the Tigers’ Cage

Kylie Gargiulo has always been drawn to the goalkeeper’s position by the thrill of making a key save to preserve a victory for her team. This fall, Kylie came up clutch with one big stop after another, while helping the Hand field hockey team climb to the top of both its conference and the state.

Kylie started playing field hockey in 7th grade after being introduced to the sport by Hand Head Coach Sue Leckey. Kylie was promptly called upon to step into the net, and the rest was history. In her recent senior season, Kylie posted an .870 save percentage with a dozen shutouts to scoop up All-SCC Second Team and All-State Second Team accolades for the Tigers, who captured their first SCC and Class M crowns since 2014.

“I just love the feeling that I get from helping the team and knowing I was there to save the game,” says Kylie. “Winning it all this year was so special, especially with this group of girls and the defenders I had. They helped me so much. Winning with them made it so much better.”

Hand claimed the SCC title by defeating Branford in penalty strokes after the two teams were tied following regulation and three overtime periods. Kylie says she wasn’t sure what to expect when thrown into the spotlight, but when push came to shove, she locked down the cage as Hand prevailed 4-2 in the penalty stroke session.

“After the third overtime, I didn’t think it would go to penalty strokes. Even though we practice penalty strokes all the time, I was nervous,” Kylie says. “Once it started, I put my nerves aside and focused on what had to get done. After Sophie Schreck scored the winning stroke, it took time to process what happened, but it was amazing.”

When the Tigers faced New Canaan in the state final, the Rams netted a goal to cut Hand’s lead to 2-1 with 21 minutes remaining. Kylie says that solid communication was one of the biggest reasons why Hand staved off New Canaan the rest of the way to complete its dream season.

“[Hand assistant coach Mike Niekrash] tells me how I have to keep my head in the game and keep talking to my defense,” Kylie says. “If I stop communicating with the defense, then things break down, which could lead to goals.”

Kylie says she’s learned a lot from her coaches while progressively getting better in goal. One of the most important things she’s realized is to take a wait-and-see approach when the opposition is threatening to score.

“I feel I’ve improved immensely with the help of my coaches. I always focus on one thing at a time with them. They helped me become the goalkeeper I am today, and I won’t stop getting better,” says Kylie. “When players come near the net, I assess the situation and see how many offensive players there are and how many defenders I have. I’ll go to the player or call to my defenders. If I’m all alone, I have to see how they will play the ball. If I have defenders, I’m more in control of the situation.”

Coach Leckey says that Kylie put her fellow Tigers to the test by battling hard against them in practice to help them prepare for game situations. Leckey adds that Kylie has a knack for handling any challenge that comes her way.

“Kylie’s most understated impact for our team is the daily practice performance that challenged us to figure out how to beat an athletic and competitive goalie in every drill. Kylie was pushed this season by hardworking sophomore goalie Karen Newton; they had a nice competitively respectful relationship, mentorship, and friendship,” says Leckey. “Kylie is a fantastic athlete with a true love for the game and the challenge of goaltending.”

Coming into her tenure with the Tigers, Kylie was well aware of the top-notch reputation that Hand had earned across the state. Now, she truly knows how special it feels to help one of Connecticut’s perennial powerhouses continue its legacy.

“Hand field hockey has been so amazing. I had heard about the amazing field hockey team, and it’s true. The coaches are great and help us out,” says Kylie. “The girls got along, everyone respects the team, and it’s great to say I was a part of Hand field hockey.”