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Chicago Tribune
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
An aspiring teacher, Katie Monroe helps Warren try to fulfill its potential. The senior catcher ‘inspires.'
Warren catcher Katie Monroe's patience has been rewarded on the softball field. Monroe has learned the importance of that quality off the field too. She said she wants to be a teacher like her mother, who works in special education at Woodland Elementary School. Monroe has assisted her mother in the classroom. 'It's taught me patience,' she said. 'It's a tough job. So just seeing any improvements, even if they're small or big, are important. It's fun to see the kids doing better academically and socially.' Monroe played on the junior varsity team for two seasons while Ally Badgley was the Blue Devils' starting catcher. 'It was hard, but I know I had a great catcher in front of me,' Monroe said. 'I just did my time. I hit the weight room at home and in class and really put the time in to get better and be ready. 'I was pretty excited to get to start catching. I learned a lot and think I did well.' Indeed, Monroe was an All-North Suburban Conference selection last season, her first as the varsity starter, and the Wisconsin-Stout recruit has continued to backstop the Blue Devils (17-8, 9-4) with grit in her senior season. Monroe, who is batting .338 with a 1.044 OPS, three home runs and 22 RBIs, has thrown out five runners trying to steal and picked off four others. Not reflected in the scorebook, Monroe is also adept at blocking. 'Katie is such a good catcher because of the way she will sell out for everything behind the plate,' Warren junior outfielder Annalise Stich said. 'The way she will block anything in the dirt and throw a girl out at any base are things that make her stand out. She's a competitive and dedicated player.' Warren coach Jenna Charbonneau said Monroe does everything she can to help the pitcher succeed. 'Katie does a great job of being a partner for her pitcher,' Charbonneau said. 'She knows when she should go out and have a talk and manage the pace of the game. Katie has improved the most on receiving the ball. I know she has put a lot of time and effort in the offseason, and it really shows. She works really hard behind the plate for her pitchers.' Warren junior pitcher Camryn Guldberg knows that well. 'What makes Katie such an amazing catcher is the way she talks to her pitchers,' Guldberg said. 'She competes every pitch that's thrown to her, takes charge of the field and keeps everything honest in any situation with feedback. 'Katie's work ethic inspires others on the team, and she shows true leadership by keeping people in the game mentally.' Stich agreed that Monroe's impact is widespread. 'Katie is such a good teammate,' Stich said. 'She's there every time to help out a teammate.' Monroe said she spent most of the offseason working on her defense but also wanted to improve as a leader. 'Being an older person on the team, I try to help out the younger teammates,' she said. Monroe has helped Warren at the plate too. In April, she had three hits and three RBIs in a win against Antioch and three hits and five RBIs in a win against Mundelein, two teams that reached the state semifinals last year. With the playoffs approaching, Monroe hit .643 with a 1.524 OPS and four RBIs during a recent stretch. The second-seeded Blue Devils will play either 15th-seeded Wheeling or 18th-seeded Waukegan in the Class 4A New Trier Regional semifinals on Tuesday. 'We have a lot of potential,' she said, 'and are still getting better and learning.'
Chicago Tribune
24-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
If Warren's Kate Mondejar is ready to take a step forward, she won't do so tentatively. ‘She's fearless.'
One way or another, Warren soccer player Kate Mondejar will make headlines. The junior midfielder was an All-North Suburban Conference honoree last season, when she had nine goals and four assists. 'She's quick and has got good speed, but one of the things I love about her is she's fearless,' Warren coach Ryan McCabe said. 'There are a lot of times when she might be the smallest player on the field, but she will jump and get headers over taller players. She has a lot of fight and courage.' Mondejar, the only non-senior among the Blue Devils' four captains, is also an editor for the school's newspaper, Scratch Paper. 'Being an editor for our school newspaper has gotten me more involved in people's lives, including teachers and students,' she said. 'It's carried over into leadership for me, so I can see both sides more clearly and can connect with people.' Mondejar is already making connections on the field early in the season. She scored two goals, including the team's first of the season, and also had an assist during Warren's 5-1 win against Highland Park on Thursday. A versatile and dynamic attacker for the Blue Devils (1-1), Mondejar can control the middle of the field and take on defenders one-on-one on the wing, complementing all-state senior forward Addison Stanciak, a Saint Louis recruit, and senior midfielder Sofia Ogren. 'This year we want her to take the next step in her being confident in her abilities,' McCabe said. Mondejar, who moved up a level in club soccer during the offseason, may be well on her way. 'Getting those two goals is a big accomplishment,' she said. 'It boosted my confidence more, and I'm more comfortable with my position.' Stanciak, who had 20 goals and 10 assists last season, said Mondejar has proved to be very reliable in her position. 'Kate's always checking in and out, looking for the next play before anyone can bat an eye,' Stanciak said. 'When I make a run, I have no doubt Kate will do whatever it takes to place the perfect ball. 'We've had two years of chemistry building up, and I feel that this year it will really show.' Indeed, Stanciak and Mondejar showed that against Highland Park. Stanciak, who also had two goals and an assist, set up Mondejar for the tying goal in the 31st minute. 'The two of us are flowing through the top third of the pitch,' Stanciak said. 'We've had some one-twos passing around the defense. 'Kate's a dynamic player. I'm excited to see what this year and the rest of her high school career holds.' Warren senior midfielder/defender Jelly Amezquita praised Mondejar for her nonstop effort. 'Kate is always going to give 110% every second that she's on the pitch,' Amezquita said. 'If she loses the ball, it's not going to be for very long because she will work her tail off to get the ball back. 'She's great at getting her teammates involved with the plays but also is very effective and dangerous in 1v1 opportunities.' Mondejar, who has run cross country and played basketball in previous years, has decided to focus on soccer to become an even more effective player. Cross country was helpful, though. 'Cross country impacted my life in a big way, and I'm so grateful that it bled into soccer,' she said. 'I was able to stay in games longer, especially early in my career, because of the cardio and staying fit. As a freshman, I didn't have to worry about keeping up with the other players or the pace of the games. That allowed me to hone my skills.' Mondejar said she has more work to do on and off the field. 'My next goal is focusing on getting my name out there and talking to coaches and hopefully getting myself recruited,' Mondejar said. 'I think it's a matter of me staying consistent and reaching out and getting better on my own. It's like a full-time job.'
