By Mark Zimmaro
WARMINSTER - Laurel Tonkinson is well on her way to helping a lot of people.
On the field, the Archbishop Wood senior has already helped her field hockey team immensely by making big saves as the team’s goalie. Off the field, she’s taking even bigger strides to help those who need it. Tonkinson is president of a new American Sign Language Club at school and is one of the leaders of Wood’s Health Occupation Students of America club. Both clubs are near and dear to Tonkinson.
“I have a cousin who is nonverbal autistic and I really thought the sign language club was something that would feel good if I stepped up and took over,” Tonkinson said. “I also have someone that’s like a sister to me who is becoming an audiologist so I was going to have her teach me on how to run the club and just kind of help me out. I’m excited. We actually had our activities fair today and we had more than 35 people sign up. It was a huge hit.”
Archbishop Wood field hockey goalie Laurel Tonkinson is heavily involved in clubs at school while helping the Vikings compete in the PCL
Her work with HOSA is also making a big difference. Wood’s chapter of the organization hosts medical educational lectures and sponsors Red Cross Blood Drives and CPR training.
“It’s something that meant a lot to me,” Tonkinson said. “We run flu shot clinics and blood drives. I would say 30 to 40 percent of the school donates blood each blood drive. We have huge outcomes, donating pounds and pounds of blood coming from Archbishop Wood students.”
The site of blood certainly doesn’t make Tonkinson woozy as she plans to take up nursing of some form in the future, possibly either in the military or helping people with special needs. Regardless, she’s laying down the foundation to make a difference in many people’s lives.
“I’m hoping to study nursing next year, maybe with ROTC,” Tonkinson said. “My mom is a sergeant in the Air Force and my grandfather was an Army Ranger in Vietnam and my other grandfather was in the Air Force. I haven’t decided on anything yet. But my mom definitely inspired me. She’s my role model.”
Tonkinson said her mother is currently on active duty but is working locally. She’s Laurel’s biggest fan despite not knowing a whole lot about field hockey.
Archbishop Wood senior goalie Laurel Tonkinson
“She supports me,” Tonkinson said with a smile. “She tries to understand it and I try to explain it to her. She definitely tries.”
Tonkinson said she can ask her mother just about anything outside of field hockey and she’ll get the right answer.
“My mom is probably the most independent and smartest person I know and I’m not just saying that because she’s my mom,” she said. “She’s so funny. You can ask her any question and she’ll know the answer. She’s like Google. But she’s so hard-working. She currently has three business degrees and she’s in school for her masters as well as being a sergeant in the military. She’s always believed in me and always pushed me but never overwhelmed me. She’s always been understanding and she’s my best friend.”
Tonkinson is in her fourth year of field hockey at Wood but was a defensive player until her call up to varsity last year where she started as the team’s goaltender.
It was never her idea to be a goalie, but she was willing to take on the challenge like many other chapters in her life.
“It was a camp two years ago and the coaches came up to me and said ‘we have a proposition for you.’ They said they wanted me to try goalie,” Tonkinson recalled. “I thought, I can’t play goalie, but they wanted me to try. I came to a summer practice and put on the equipment as a joke. Then I started making saves. Then I started to enjoy it and started to get into it.”
Archbishop Wood goalie Laurel Tonkinson makes a save against Cardinal O'Hara in a game earlier this season. Photo by Mark Zimmaro
Archbishop Wood went 5-3 in the PCL standings with three shutouts last year to earn the No. 4 seed heading into the playoffs. This year, they are off to a 2-1 start in the PCL with shutouts over Little Flower and St. Hubert. Her most impressive game might actually be the Vikings’ 5-1 loss to Cardinal O’Hara last week. Tonkinson kept the Vikings tied against the mighty Lions into the second quarter before O’Hara unleashed its fury with four straight goals in a span of just a few minutes. Tonkinson and the Vikings shook it off and played a stellar scoreless second half.
“I’m really proud of the girls on this team,” Tonkinson said. “We always push through and we’re there for each other at the end of the day, no matter what.”