Current Athlete Of The Month: Claire Genthner

Director of Photography: Kit Noble

On October 28, 2022, the Whaler field hockey team stunned the Monomoy Sharks, a Div. 4 powerhouse, at home 1-1 after a last second goal off a corner play by former captain Caroline Allen. As the Whalers celebrated the tie Claire Genthner, a sophomore at the time, notably emerged from the pack with tears rolling down her face despite spending the game cheering on her teammates from the sideline.

Genthner was new to the sport and didn't pick up a stick until high school, but the moment spoke to her selflessness and team-first mentality – one that every young athlete would be wise to adopt early on in their high school careers.

Genthner has remained one of the Whaler's most selfless players in the years since, but has worked hard to become a meaningful contributor to the team not only off the field, but on it.

"I think Claire is the definition of what a good teammate should be,” co-head coach Dan Weber said. “She gets excited for her teammate's successes. She's constantly pumping them up and sending them good vibes and encouragement. But she's also turned into a pretty damn good field hockey player in her own right.”

As a result of that hardwork, Genthner has found herself playing plenty of minutes this season and spending much less time on the sideline compared to her sophomore year.

In the Whaler’s season/home opener on Sept. 4 against the Dennis-Yarmouth Dolphins, Genthner was on the field in the final quarter and had a chance to make an impact. Not only did she factor into the eventual game-winning goal – she scored it and helped her team earn a victory against the Dolphins for the first time in two decades.

“When I first saw it go in the goal with just seven minutes remaining in the game I was filled with immediate excitement,” Genthner said. “Although I had been the last player to touch the ball that beat the team we hadn’t beat in 20 years, I couldn’t have done it without everyone else on the field.”

“She worked really hard for three years and she was a couple years behind because she didn't pick up a stick until she was a freshman,” Weber said. “So on top of being a great teammate and a great person, she has worked her butt off to become a very solid player. On that game winner, she was in the right place and able to put the ball in the back of the net to win the game. It was indicative of the fact that she's worked hard to earn her time and she's worked hard to know where to be and develop the skills in crunch time when you need it.”

Genthner is a member of a strong senior class that has helped Nantucket’s field hockey team earn a 7-1-1 record through their first nine games of the season. The program has taken significant steps in recent years, and the Class of 2025 is a big reason why. Genthner's head coaches believe she exemplifies what all her classmates are about.

"I think our favorite thing about Claire from day one and the reason we took her up to varsity even though she hadn't been playing field hockey for that long was her attitude, her selflessness, and she’s a team player,” Elizabeth Weber, who is a co-head coach of the field hockey team, said. “She was always flexible and willing to go in any spot. She is just someone you wanted on your team and that you wanted around and wanted in your environment and in your culture, and I think that is harder to find these days.

“If you ask her teammates, they would all say the energy is better when Claire is on the field,” Elizabeth Weber added.

In a poll on our Sports Instagram page, Genthner received dozens of votes from her peers. Some were teammates, others were classmates you likely have read about in the Current Sports Roundups over the years. They all felt Genthner deserved the recognition, and that she embodied what a Nantucket student athlete should be.

Genthner offered some advice to any young athletes who are trying to work their way up from the junior varsity level to the varsity level.

“Play with effort at practice every day,” she said. “My coaches Dan and Elizabeth Weber have reminded my team to practice how you would play in a game, and you will see success. As a younger athlete follow those words of advice, and the outcome will come.”

The Nantucket Current runs a series where we highlight an athlete on the island once per month – sometimes under unique circumstances, we will feature more than one.

This player doesn’t always need to be the superstar or flashy athlete. It can be someone whose greatest contributions come when no one else is looking or be someone whose impact is substantial during the game but wildly under-appreciated by the common spectator.

“Every team could use a Claire Genthner,” Dan Weber said.

If anyone has nominations they'd like to make moving forward, please email your suggestion to davidcreed@n-magazine.com.