Cape Cod field hockey player Emily Layton participates in Under Armour select game

Emily Layton receiving her Golden Ticket to participate in the Under Armour select game. (Photo: Elizabeth Layton)

Emily Layton received the Golden Ticket on June 12, but it was not for a trip to visit Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. This ticket was awarded to field hockey players to participate in the Under Armour select game.

Only 60 players from around the country were selected to compete against each other. Rising Monomoy High School sophomore Layton of Harwich was the lone player selected from Cape Cod.

"It was one of the most fun experiences and showcases that I've been to because all the girls around me were so talented," Layton said.

On July 19, the 60 players were split into four teams and named by four countries: United States, Germany, Australia and The Netherlands. Layton participated on Team Australia and, although they lost 8-1 to Team Germany, she scored the only goal for her team.

"It was playing with girls a year above me or my year or the year younger than me, so it was fun to see how different people play," said Layton. "Since there were so many girls from other states, it's fun to see how they played compared to the girls from the Northeast."   

Courtney Cappallo is co-owner of the Cape Cod Field Hockey Club, where Layton plays year-round. Cappallo said she was extremely proud and that it is a wonderful thing to see your athletes advance to that level and compete well at that level.

"The Under Armour selection was such a big honor for her because she's achieving her goals through her hard work," Cappallo said. "To see her develop into the talent that she has, it's wonderful." 

Golden ticket

This process to get the prestigious invite started June 10-12 during the College Connection Northeast Showcase at UMass Amherst. This program provides players to play in front of collegiate coaches in person or virtually through videos. At the end of the showcase, they gave out the golden ticket. Players who received the golden ticket were invited to play in the Under Armour game the next month. 

"We play seven versus seven all three days, so it's a lot of field hockey played. My team actually ended up winning the championship which was super fun. At the conclusion of the camp, they did an awards ceremony and they gifted away sticks and stick bags."

Three-sport athlete

Layton started playing field hockey at a young age. 

"I started in kindergarten when my mom taught an enrichment class after school at Harwich Elementary," said Layton. "The following summer, I did my first camp and I joined my first team when I was 11 years old."

Emily Layton of Monomoy High School in her Under Armour select game gear. (Elizabeth Layton).

Cappallo has coached Layton since fourth grade.

"Emily is very fun to work with," said Cappallo. "She is a high level player so she grasps concepts easily. She is what we would consider coachable. If she is doing something and we ask her to tweak it, she tweaks it right away. She loves hockey and tries to develop her hockey IQ." 

The Monomoy Sharks made it all the way to the Final Four of the state tournament last fall, something they had never done in school history. For Layton, her most memorable moment came during the semifinal game, a 3-2 triple-overtime loss against Ipswich. 

"We had a corner and there was no time left on the clock. We were down by one and I scored the goal that put us in double overtime and then a shootout."

Last season:Monomoy field hockey loses playoff game in penalty shootout

Layton started playing lacrosse in eighth grade.

"I picked it up because most of my friends were doing it so I thought it would be good to do to keep me in shape and keep me busy during the spring," she said.

Emily Layton of Monomoy, left, and Cali Giglio of Martha’s Vineyard struggle for possession of the ball. (Photo: Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times).

In the spring, the Sharks made the Division 4 state tournament as a No. 12 seed, and although they lost 12-11 to Watertown, they still accomplished their goal. 

"It was super fun because one of the goals we had set for lacrosse was to get a high enough seed to host a game," said Layton. "Even though we lost, we still were able to host a game and it was fun having the support from our school." 

In the winter, Layton added her third sport as she joined the cheerleading team. 

"I just wanted another extracurricular activity during the winter to keep myself busy," said Layton. "A couple of my friends were doing it too so I thought it would be fun." 

School and sports 

Playing three sports and dealing with schoolwork is not an easy assignment. Layton said that although it is definitely a lot, it is manageable.  

"I just learned how to manage it through all three seasons, but I liked it a lot better having something everyday after school rather than just going home and having the same boring routine," said Layton.

The Future 

Layton will be a sophomore in the fall, so her college plans are still a ways out. Still, she has the goal of playing field hockey in college at a high level. 

Layton has an internship for business and marketing with the Cape Cod Field Hockey Club, a place she plays at year-round. She is the youngest intern out of five. 

"I like the business end of sports, like marketing and and management aspects," said Layton. "I really enjoy that so that's something I could see myself doing in the future."

Emily Layton of Monomoy loses the ball pressured by Quinn Powers (center), Mavis O’Neil (left) and Ella Bartolomei of Cape Cod Academy in this May 10 game in Harwich. (Photo: Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times).

Cappallo said they wanted to bring in younger interns so they could learn how to be  entrepreneurs. She knew Emily would be a good intern and a natural selection in the interview process because she does well academically and is a really hard worker.

"She brings a different perspective than all the other interns of what it's like to be (an) intern while she is going through recruitment," said Cappallo. "Others are committed or they are already playing."

For now, Layton's focused on having a strong high school field hockey season in the fall.

"For field hockey, my future goal is to get an all-star award at the end of the season," she said.