With the Torrey Pines High field hockey team holding a one-goal lead over San Pasqual in last year's CIF San Diego Section Division I championship game, Chelsea Yogerst added an insurance goal in overtime to clinch a 3-1 victory.
This season, with only a handful of returners, the Falcons are again one of the county's best teams. They are seeded No. 2 in the playoffs heading into their opening game in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
And Yogerst is one of the reasons for the Falcons' return to contender status. The 5-foot-4 forward has five goals and two assists, putting her No. 3 on the team in scoring with 12 points.
Q: What do people think when you tell them you were born in Singapore?
A: People don't believe me. They think I made it up to sound more exotic.
Q: Have you ever been back there since you moved to the United States at the age of 2?
A: No. I'd love to go in the next few years. Just once. I'd love to visit my birthplace.
Q: How did you get involved in field hockey?
A: Six years ago, I was on the verge of quitting soccer and my mom suggested I try field hockey.
Q: Why did she think field hockey would be a good fit for you?
A: She played, my grandmother played and my grandmother's mother played back in Jamaica. When I saw they offered it in middle school, I tried it.
Q: How quickly did you click in field hockey?
A: Not long after starting. There's not much contact, but it's fast-paced and incorporates basketball and soccer. I picked it up pretty quickly.
Q: Would you like to see more contact in the sport?
A: At times, I wish it was more physical, but after I got hurt this year, I wasn't quite so sure.
Q: How did you get hurt?
A: Against Fallbrook, the ball came off someone's stick and hit me in the left eye.
Q: How bad was the injury?
A: I got three stitches underneath the eyelid and five on the outside. Had a black eye for a few days. It looked pretty nasty for a few days. It happened right around Halloween, so my teammates suggested my Halloween costume center around the black eye. People said they thought I got beat up. I didn't think it was bad in the game until I saw blood dripping on the grass.
Q: Was that your worst injury in field hockey?
A: I've had broken fingers and broken toes, but this was the worst one.
Q: Were there any lingering effects of that eye injury when you came back?
A: Yeah, I was a little weary at first. I was hesitant, especially when the ball would pop up off the turf. I think I've gotten over it now.
Q: At 5-foot-4, are you really too short for the sport?
A: With my size ---- and I play lacrosse in the spring ---- field hockey is the sport for me. I'd love to play in college. The game is so low to the ground, so it's perfect for me. I can't imagine how someone, say, 5-11 plays the sports hunched over the whole time.
Q: Besides playing on your club team, how do you spend your offseason?
A: I coach the field hockey team at Earl Warren Middle School in the winter.
Q: How are you as a coach at Earl Warren?
A: I have to remember to keep it fun for them. I yell during games, but it's all positive.
Q: Doesn't your competitive nature take over while you're coaching?
A: Sometimes it's hard to keep that in check. The girls have to like playing or they won't play anymore, and that's not good. I catch myself now and then wanting to just win. I'm a lot more relaxed out of season than I am during my season.
Q: As you search for a college, are you looking for one where you can play field hockey?
A: I would like to play in college, but I'd want a college whose program wasn't too intense. I really want to live the college life without thinking about field hockey 24 hours a day.
Chelsea Yogerst
School: Torrey Pines
Sports: Field hockey, girls lacrosse
Born: Aug. 18, 1992 in Singapore
Year: Senior
Height: 5-foot-4
Nickname: "Yogs"
Accomplishments: First-team All-Palomar League in field hockey in 2007 and honorable mention All-Palomar League in 2008.
Quick hits
Who would you put in your Fave 5? Mia Hamm, Bob Marley, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Freddie Mercury
Favorite pizza: Hawaiian
Most embarrassing singer on iPod: Miley Cyrus
Person you'd most like to meet: Johnny Depp
Career ambition: Journalist or news anchor
Dog or cat: Dog
Worst habit: Biting fingernails
Favorite class: English
Favorite pregame meal: Power bar
Ocean or desert: Ocean
Favorite athlete: Kobe Bryant
What TV show do you hate to miss: "Gossip Girl"
Favorite reality TV show: "Real World"
Favorite food: Ramen noodles
Favorite cartoon: "Rugrats"
Most hated chore: Putting clothes in the closet
Biggest fear: Losing people close to me
Hidden talent: Can bend tongue in any direction
Superstition: Wrap tape around stick 19 times to match jersey number
