Soccer (Girls)

Year after year, the Deerfield Academy girls soccer team proves to be among the most competitive programs in the New England area. In 1996, the girls posted an undefeated season, captured the Western New England Girls Soccer League title, and went on to finish second in the New England Tournament; more recently, they have been serious playoff contenders, finishing in the top four in 2012. Deerfield attracts experienced and highly skilled players, and this--combined with the team's competitive schedule, which includes Loomis Chaffee, Taft, Choate, Andover, and Exeter--has served as a solid springboard for girls wishing to compete in college. Amherst, Williams, Middlebury, Bowdoin, Colby, St. Lawrence, and Dartmouth Colleges are among the schools where DA players have competed.

Deerfield fields and supports three interscholastic girls soccer teams. The JV and thirds squads emphasize skill building and game experience, while the varsity focuses on fine-tuning skills and game strategy.

Girls soccer at Deerfield is coached by Heidi Valk, with Jennifer Marino as an assistant. For more information, please contact Ms. Valk at hvalk@deerfield.edu.

Varsity

Junior Varsity

Reserve

Heidi Valk

Heidi Valk has cultivated the girls soccer program at Deerfield from its roots. Under her tutelage, the squad has amassed a 109-60 record. In 1996, the girls posted an undefeated season, captured the Western New England title, and finished second in the New England Prep School tournament.

Before coming to Deerfield, Heidi coached the JV soccer and lacrosse teams at the Nichols School in Buffalo, NY. She also held coaching positions in those sports at St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire, where she was an intern. Heidi played both soccer and lacrosse for three years at Mount Holyoke College; as an exchange student, she contributed to both teams in her junior year at Bowdoin College in Maine.

A member of the Academy’s Science Department, Heidi teaches biology, anatomy, and Environmental Science. She and her husband, Conrad, live in Abercrombie House with their sons, Jackson and Bennett.

Send email to Heidi Valk (hvalk@deerfield.edu)