ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Hayleigh Martin

The Dr. Phillips girls lacrosse team (13-2) went on a 13-game winning streak recently to help assert itself as a program to be reckoned with in this week’s district tournament at Lake Nona High School. Helping to lead the way for the Panthers was senior attacker Hayleigh Martin, a two-sport sensation for Dr. Phillips who also played a big role for the Panthers during soccer season.

What was going right for the team during its 13-game winning streak?

We have a very good team — our coach (Kerry Watson) is very good. We know what to do and get it done.

Yours is a name that kept popping up throughout the winning streak. How would you rate your performance to this point this season?

I feel like it’s been a good season. I think I’ve done well; I’ve done the dirty work. I’ve had assists and goals and stuff.

Is there a teammate you’re particularly proud of during this remarkable run for you all?

Elyse Decker, definitely. She’s the No. 1 player. She always hustles — she’ll fall down, it doesn’t matter, she’ll score the most goals (for us). She’s just all-around; always assisting.

Which win out of the 13 do you feel the best about?

I think the win over Trinity Prep, because we knew a few of those girls from camps. It felt good to beat them.

What’s your favorite thing about having played lacrosse in high school?

Most of all, it’s all the people I’ve met throughout the years.

You play soccer and lacrosse and, with those being winter and spring sports, respectively, there is some overlap between the seasons. What was that like?

We lost the district semifinal (in soccer) on that Thursday and Monday we were out here for (lacrosse) tryouts. So there wasn’t really much time off. I was tired, but I was excited to start a new sports — new people, a new chance.

How did you end up playing those two sports, and do you have a preference as to one or the other?

I tried out freshman year for soccer, and our lacrosse coach was the soccer coach, too (at the time). So she got us into lacrosse. I would say I’m better at lacrosse. I play more, and I feel like my play is of more importance to the team. So I would probably say I like lacrosse better.

What’s one of your favorite sports-related memories from your high school career?

I guess beating Olympia this year in soccer, 3-0. It was good to finally get back at them; we were really excited.

So who is better at their respective sport — are you better at lacrosse or is your boyfriend, Matt Sullivan, better at baseball?

Oh, he’s definitely better at baseball. He’s out there every single day for hours.

Being a Dr. Phillips student, there’s no shortage of successful sports teams to support — which team is your favorite to go support?

Definitely, I think the football team. There’s just so many people that come out here from all around the town. No matter what game, there’s always hundreds of people and it’s a lot of fun.

What went in to your decision not to pursue a career in either sport at the collegiate level and instead opt to attend Florida State solely for academics?

I played two sports for four years, and I wanted to be more focused on academics and working toward that, maybe try and join an intramural team in college.

What are you hoping to study when you start class at Florida State?

I’m trying to major in biology, and I am going to try and do pre-med to go into graduate school.

What are you looking forward to the most about going off to college in the fall?

I’m excited to live on my own and have a schedule — to work hard and be able to graduate, go on and start a career and be successful.

What’s something you like to do that people don’t know about you?

I really like working with kids. I want to go into pediatric care. Every day, I work in a special-needs classroom with preschoolers.