Chloe Dakers is wrapping up a prolific high school career in sports and academics. She also takes time to give back to her community, as shown here at the Pilgrim House.
Photo courtesy of Pastor S.C. Frieze
resume is impressive.
When the spring softball season rolls around, she will have started 11 seasons in three sports, been a team captain six times and competed in the state tournament nine times. The senior at
Housatonic (Falls Village, Conn.) is an accomplished athlete who has helped her teams be successful all four years of her high school career.
"I didn't realize it until one of my friends said to me, ‘You've had an amazing high school career,'" Dakers said. "I started looking back and realizing that I did. It was awesome to make states all my four years for soccer, all my four years for basketball."
Dakers started on the soccer team all four years, and she'll do the same for softball. She earned the starting nod for the final three years in basketball.
Dakers has been a three-year captain in basketball.
Photo courtesy of Thomas Brown
Steven Dodge has watched Dakers grow up to be a superstar in her small home town, and now Dodge is in his first year coaching her in basketball.
"For our school, we've had a lot of really good athletes. I honestly believe she's probably one of the best female athletes to come through our school," Dodge said. "She doesn't specialize in one sport."
Dakers just helped her basketball team reach the state tournament again. Housatonic is 20-2 on the season, won the Berkshire League title and is ranked No. 1 in the state in Class S.
How big of a role does Dakers, the team's point guard, play in that No. 1 ranking?
"Tremendous," said her coach. "Without her we wouldn't be. Several times teams have come in and played a box-and-one where they'll play man on Chloe and play zone on everybody else. Teams definitely key on her, trying to take her out of the game where she's not necessarily a scoring threat anymore, but you can't stop her from being dominant on defense and assisting and getting the team going, so we're still scoring."
Dakers is leading her team in assists (7.3) and steals this season and is also averaging 11.1 points per game with six double-doubles. Last year, she averaged 9.6 points, and has improved her play since her sophomore season.
"I've been producing more points; I've been producing more assists and more rebounds," Dakers said. "Even though I'm 5-foot-2, this year I've probably had the most rebounds I've ever had, and that's cool. I've improved this year on my defense."
This is Dakers' third year as a team captain. Being a leader is a role she embraces now, though earning the captain title as a sophomore year was a bit scary for Dakers.
"The team had a lot of faith in me," Dakers said. "The team actually picked me to be their third captain. I knew that they trusted me and I was point guard, and I'm the playmaker and need to do that for the team."
Dakers was named second-team All-Berkshire League her sophomore and junior seasons, and this year she earned first-team All-League status.
Dakers' accolades are just as impressive in soccer, which is her favorite sport. She was a four-year starter and tallied 33 goals and 43 assists in her career.
She stepped right in as a freshman midfielder and registered 11 points (seven goals, four assists).
"It was awesome to have that as a freshman, because my coach instilled a lot of confidence in me over the years," said Dakers, who was a co-captain this past season.
Dakers doesn't normally pitch, but added that to
her repertoire last season.
Photo courtesy of Thomas Brown
Dakers put up 21 points the next year and was named All-Berkshire League honorable mention. But her biggest highlight that season was helping her team advance to the state title match for the first time in program history. Housatonic came up just shy winning it all, falling 2-1 in overtime to Portland.
Learn more about the MaxPreps US Marines program at www.maxpreps.com/marinesPlaying in a state title match is something Dakers cherishes.
"It was exciting," Dakers said. "There were so many fans there and so much support from everyone. It was nerve-racking definitely on that field, but it was fun."
In her final two years on the soccer pitch, Dakers earned All-Berkshire League second team honors as a junior and All-State accolades as a senior.
Dakers is entering her fourth season as a starter on the softball diamond. She's been her team's shortstop every year and even pitched as a junior for the first time in her career. Dakers was captain and an All-Berkshire League second team recipient last season, leading her team in batting average, on-base percentage and stolen bases.
Dakers is hoping this year will be better after her team went 0-19 in 2016.
"I know my role this season has to be a lot bigger because I want to win games this season and I want our team to improve," Dakers said.
Along with all of her athletic achievements, Dakers is an accomplished student in the classroom.
Her 4.0 grade-point average places her at No. 9 in the senior class. She is taking three advanced courses this semester to prepare for college.
Dakers is interested in making soccer her sport of
choice in college.
Photo courtesy of Thomas Brown
Dakers' plan next year is to attend Springfield College in Massachusetts. She has been in touch with the school's soccer coach and would like play as a freshman. Dakers has set her sights on being a high school math teacher and coach.
Dakers has been a member of National Honor Society the last two years and is taking part in senior class council and prom committee. She's helped with fundraisers through school, including Dig Pink and Hoops for Hearts. She has also volunteered in the past for Habitat for Humanity and at East Canaan Congregation Church with a local food pantry. Her volunteer experience also logically extends out to the soccer field, refereeing recreation youth leagues.
For all the success Dakers has had in athletics, there are plenty of young students who look up to the senior.
"I wish I could coach them, because I want them to have the experience that I had and I want them to see the kind of stuff they can achieve," Dakers said.
She is a dedicated student-athlete, but it isn't all business 24-7. Dodge has watched his pupil let down her guard, even during busy, stressful times.
"If there was a class clown, it would be Chloe," Dodge said. "She's so outgoing, so friendly with everybody. I have three daughters and if I'd want my daughters to be like somebody, it would be like Chloe."
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