Nicolet National Bank Senior Spotlight: Halle Hill – Green Bay Preble girls’ hockey, soccer

Halle Hill is a senior on the Bay Area Ice Bears girls' hockey team. Elizabeth Wittman Photo

By Rich Palzewic

Sports Editor

GREEN BAY – Girls do play hockey.

Green Bay Preble senior Halle Hill is a good example.

Hill, who also plays soccer, is a forward for the Bay Area Ice Bears, a co-op hockey team in the Green Bay area consisting of 27 players from eight different schools.

“Most people don’t know we have a hockey team,” said Hill, who is the daughter of Jon and Heather Hill. “Preble recently announced we had won the conference championship, and the kids in my own class didn’t know anything about it. It’s amazing we have the opportunity to play.”

Hill, who hasn’t scored a single goal in her varsity career, didn’t start playing hockey until her eighth-grade year.

“I was late to the party in starting,” Hill said. “I’ve been close to scoring many times, but I haven’t scored. Compared to others on the team, I don’t have the best offensive skills. I’ve hit the post on shots, had the goalie make a great save against me and whiffed on opportunities. I’ve mostly made a name for myself with my leadership and hard work.”

The other players on the Ice Bears selected Hill as an assistant captain before the season started.

“It was gratifying to be selected as one of the captains,” she said. “I worked hard for that, and it was awesome my teammates appreciated it.”

Rivals in most of the other sports during the school year, the Ice Bears are a unique team.

“It’s odd because lots of the girls you are competing against in other sports during the year,” said Hill, who describes herself as hard-working, considerate and a leader. “When we get together to play hockey, that all goes away. We are one team and get along well. We tease one another when our school beats their school in other sports. It’s girls, so there is some drama. We keep it to a minimum, and this year has been one of our best years in that aspect.”

Hill’s most memorable hockey moment came on her first shift on the ice as a varsity player.

“I didn’t think I was going to play, but coach put me in,” she said. “The puck was on the opposite end, so I went racing after it. My stick accidentally tripped another girl, and I was called for a  penalty.”

She said her most embarrassing moment came on senior night this season.

“We all lined up on the ice to go to our parents to bring them flowers,” she said. “I went to stop and completely fell backward in front of the whole audience. It was a good laugh.”

Hill will complete her fourth year of high school soccer this spring with the Hornets.

“When I first started playing hockey, I didn’t think there would be any crossover between the two sports,” she said. “You have a stick in your hand and you’re on skates with hockey, and you’re running with a ball in soccer, but it has lots of the same mental stuff – working with teammates and communication. It all carries over.”

She has been accepted to Michigan Tech University, but UW-Madison, UC-Berkeley and Boston University are also possibilities.

Hill has a younger brother, Kruse, who is 10 and mainly plays hockey, and a younger sister, Sunedha, who is a sophomore at Preble and plays soccer.

Her father comes from Apple Valley, Minnesota, and her mom is from Racine.

Hill said her father’s high school football team won a state championship while he attended there.

She likes cooking, being outdoors, hiking, biking, swimming and spending time with her friends and family.

“I probably watch baking shows on television more than I should,” she said. “My current favorite is ‘The Great British Baking Show.’”

Hill also likes hockey player Alex Rigsby, the card game Euchre, pecan caramel ice cream, the color blue and Thanksgiving.