Paulson recognized as all-CIF field hockey player

The selection of the all-CIF field hockey teams resulted in Fallbrook High School senior April Paulson being placed on the all-CIF second team for 2016.

"It was really cool," Paulson said. "It was rewarding to be noticed again for the work I've put in for the sport."

The all-CIF teams consisted of 11 first-team players and 11 second-team athletes. Teams which participated in the Open Division of the CIF playoffs accounted for 21 of those 22 players. Fallbrook was in the Division I playoffs, and Paulson was the only all-CIF player who was not on an Open Division team.

"She really deserves this award," said Fallbrook coach Melissa Maultsby. "She worked really hard this season and helped carry the team forward."

Paulson, who was Fallbrook's center midfielder, was also selected as the Valley League player of the year for 2016. She believes that additional training contributed to her league player of the year and all-CIF honors.

"I played on multiple club teams and just practiced," she said. "I'm continuing practicing on multiple teams so I can be well-prepared for college."

Since the winter North County Indoor League is intended to prepare school teams for the upcoming CIF season the school clubs do not use current seniors, although some seniors participate on a separate team in that league. The 2017 graduates are calling themselves the Senior17as this year, and Paulson is on that team.

Paulson is also on the Rush club team which participates in tournaments, and she will be with the San Diego Hot Stix club for the Feb. 3-5 National Field Hockey Showcase in Florida which is primarily a showcase for players seeking college scholarship opportunities but also allows seniors who have signed letters of intent additional competition time entering their freshman collegiate season. Paulson signed a letter of intent Nov. 9 to play at Bellarmine University in Kentucky.

Paulson will also take advantage of opportunities to practice at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista as part of the Futures program, and she also expects to participate in the Cal Cup tournament.

Paulson is a lifelong Fallbrook resident who attended St. Stephen Lutheran School from pre-school through eighth grade before her four years at Fallbrook High School. Paulson was on Fallbrook's junior varsity field hockey team as a freshman and was promoted to the varsity as a sophomore. Paulson played both midfielder and forward during her Fallbrook High School field hockey career.

She also runs track and field for Fallbrook High School, and as a junior last year she won the girls 400-meter Valley League championship. Although Paulson attended St. Stephen rather than Potter Junior High School and did not play field hockey until ninth grade, she now helps to coach the Potter team.