It’s ‘game on’ for competitive Krejsa

When she’s not strategizing on the soccer field, Stevenson senior Katie Krejsa likes to play a board game called “TwixT” at home with her mom, Nancy.

What’s the twist with “Twixt?”

It’s an abstract strategy game of barriers with the object of the game to build an uninterrupted bridge from one end of the board to the other.

“There is something inside me that makes me always want to win,” Krejsa said. “But for some reason, to this day, I can’t beat my mom.”

Katie Krejsa’s strategizing, dedication, hard work and competitive nature were also evident on the soccer field this spring. She even played through pain in leading Stevenson to a successful season.

A leader for the Patriots, Krejsa was a complete player who led by example.

The midfielder/forward, who will be playing soccer next fall at the University of Dayton, was named all-state, and she is the captain of the Daily Herald Lake County All-Area team.

“I just put in a lot of hard work with everything I did,” said Krejsa, a repeat all-area selection. “I’ve loved the sport of soccer and have worked at it for a long time, and I’ve reached for so many goals.”

This past season, Krejsa endured a lot of bumps in the road — or just bumps, period. She injured her wrist in a game against York. The Patriots pulled out a 5-4 overtime win in the Pepsi Showdown and advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to Metea Valley.

She was also slowed by a slight hamstring pull, but she still finished the season with 22 goals and 11 assists, as Stevenson went 15-6-2 and won a Class 3A regional championship.

And, Krejsa never missed a game. She never missed one in four seasons.

“A sport like soccer takes a toll on you, because you’re playing several games a week,” Krejsa said. “I don’t enjoy watching from the bench. I’m aware that injuries come along, and I’m always careful with myself. I followed what the trainer wanted me to do and did what I had to do to play.”

Krejsa scored 21 goals last year and then assumed a bigger role this spring, as she helped patrol the midfield at times.

“She just played through all of that,” Stevenson coach Mark Schartner said. “I don’t know anybody that loves to compete more. She always wants to get better. She always wants to learn new things.”

That competitive drive originated at home.

“I think I get it from my family,” said Krejsa, the daughter of Ken and Nancy. “We’re all competitive.”

Stevenson senior Olivia Whalen played four years of soccer with Krejsa. Whalen is a competitor herself and knows one when she sees one.

“The way she plays, it’s exciting to watch,” Whalen said. “She hates to lose the small games we do in practice. She’ll get upset, but she knows how to transfer it over to the games.”

Patriots junior Jenna Weiner also saw firsthand Krejsa’s competitive nature.

“If she didn’t perform well, she would be upset,” Weiner said. “You could definitely see it on her face. She is so hardworking. It’s just her competitive nature. She has a way of fighting for the ball. She hates to lose.”

“TwixT,” anyone?