May 3, 2009 E-MAIL PRINT

Klauberg a perfect fit at GA

by Bill Keefe/

Greenwich Academy star Jackie Klauberg, who is headed to Princeton next season, enjoys the team aspects of lacrosse best. (photo: Tom Connor)

Greenwich Academy star Jackie Klauberg, who is headed to Princeton next season, enjoys the team aspects of lacrosse best. (photo: Tom Connor)

As an All-American and future Division 1 player at Princeton, Greenwich (Conn.) Academy senior midfielder Jackie Klauberg is in select company.
She also is among the best Chinese-speaking female lacrosse players in the world.

Lacrosse is in its infancy in the world’s most populous nation. There isn’t even a Chinese word to say “lacrosse,” according to Klauberg, who is in her third year studying the language.

She is a member of the National Chinese Honor Society and plans to continue studying the language at Princeton. Could there be a research project here?

Teams researching Greenwich Academy are bound to notice Klauberg. In addition to her All-America honor, Klauberg was named to the Lower New England First Team and a Western New England All-Star. The Gators went 19-3 last year, captured the Fairchester Athletic Association championship for the 24th time in 25 years and were ranked fifth among New England prep schools, bolstered by 68 goals from Klauberg.

The 68 could have been more than 100, said Greenwich Academy coach Angela Tammaro, if not for Klauberg being moved back to defense, or even removed, in games that had already been decided.

While some may push for the individual accolades, the Cos Cob, Conn., native is the “essence of a team player,” said Tammaro, adding that Klauberg “dishes more than she scores. She understands what it means to be a part of a team. She really gets it.”

Also a three-time all-league player and 1,000-point scorer in basketball, Klauberg said: “I just love team sports. I really like working on things in practice, working on team chemistry, getting new players and having to work together toward a common goal.”

When someone scores 68 goals, you might think their favorite part of the game is filling the net, but Klauberg again reveals her affinity for team play.

“I like when we have a great transition,” she said. “The goalie clears it to the ‘D,’ we move up field and the fast break really works well. We move the ball up field and get a goal off it.”

Klauberg’s sense of team also played a large role in choosing Princeton. Klauberg’s sister, Christie, is a sophomore lacrosse player at Duke. There was some pull to go there and have the opportunity to play with her again, but Jackie ultimately decided to go her own route.

She still will see some familiar faces in the Ivy League. Teammate Caroline Connor will go on to play at Penn next year while Taylor Gattinella, a senior last year, is at Columbia.

“I looked [at Duke], it’s an awesome school,” Klauberg said. “Princeton seemed like a better fit for me. I went to visit and I really loved it. I really liked the coaches and the girls. I got to stay overnight with one of them and they were all so welcoming and committed to the team and each other. They had a special bond together; I really liked that.”

In addition to her sister, Klauberg had some athletic role models in her parents. Her father, John, played basketball at Hamilton College and her mother, Melissa, played lacrosse at the University of Rochester. Klauberg is quick to jokingly point out that her mother played in the days of wooden sticks.

Klauberg started playing lacrosse the first chance she could, at about 8 years old in Greenwich Youth Lacrosse. Starting out on Saturday mornings, it progressed to travel teams and continued to high school and her club team, Metro Lacrosse in New Jersey.

While she’s also had success in basketball, lacrosse is her favorite sport.

“It’s a fast game and you have to really be on your toes all the time and have good endurance and quickness,” Klauberg said, “Basketball really helps. There are a lot of the same motions, moving your feet on defense, the spins and crossing over.”

As of late April, Klauberg had helped Greenwich Academy to a 6-0-1 record, recording nine- and seven-point games.

“She has everything you’re looking for in a top-level lacrosse player,” said Tammaro, also the school’s athletic director. “Speed, height, skills, presence on the field. I would like to clone her and have a dozen of her.

“What she’s done at Greenwich Academy has been special.”

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