Bailey Gatchell recently graduated from Pembroke Academy, leaving behind a strong athletic legacy. She was a three-sport varsity athlete in soccer, basketball and lacross, and a captain on all three teams.

In the fall of 2023, she was the Concord Monitor’s girls’ soccer Player of the Season, and she was named first Team All-State in soccer her junior and senior year.

Her accolades extended past varsity athletics: Academically, Gatchell finished fifth in her class, receiving high honors all four years. She was a New Hampshire scholar, the treasurer of her class, vice president of National Honors Society, historian of the Spanish Honor Society and a New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association scholar-athlete.

She will continue her soccer career at Rivier University in the fall. Below, she talks about her experiences as a student-athlete, a scholar and a leader, and she offers advice for younger athletes.

Q: Do you have any hobbies outside of school and sports?

A: Outside of school and sports, I love hanging out with my family and friends, especially my niece. I also enjoy being outdoors, camping, four-wheeling, skiing and going to the beach.

Q: Who is your biggest inspiration?

A: My biggest inspiration is absolutely my mom. She has done so much for me and constantly supports and loves me through every adventure I pursue. My mom always goes above and beyond for every event and does her absolute best to make me feel successful while always finding the best in every situation.

Q: Who are some of your favorite athletes? Why?

A: One of my favorite athletes is Alex Morgan because I grew up watching her and always looked up to her as a great player who played my same position. I’m also a big Celtics fan and love to watch Jayson Tatum play at TD Garden.

Q: Who are some of your mentors, and how have they helped you?

A: I have been very lucky to have so many mentors during my life so far. Some of my biggest mentors have been my sisters, who I am able to go to during any good or bad times to talk to and get all kinds of advice. My coaches have also been a huge reason why I have been able to be so successful in school and sports. Coach Jess Kaufman has been a huge mentor to me and has helped me have four very successful high school soccer seasons while setting and achieving my highest goals. My club soccer coaches, Andy Palhof, Joe Long and Mike Zahn, have helped me immensely grow as a person and a player. Mike has helped me bring my game to a whole different high level to prepare myself for college, and Andy has been coaching me since I started club soccer. I could never be the successful student and athlete that I am without all of these amazing mentors to guide me.

Q: What’s your go-to game-day meal?

A: Being honest, I definitely have not focused enough on my diet before games, but I always eat a healthy breakfast, and then I like to have some chocolate and fruit right before my game.

Q: What’s your favorite memory of playing sports?

A: I have so many favorite memories playing sports, but some of my favorites are all my senior nights for each sport that my team put together, making it to the championship my freshmen and sophomore year, being a first team All State junior and senior year and the Concord Monitor Player of the Year my junior year. One of my most exciting moments was when I scored the game winning goal against rival MV to send us to the semifinals my junior year, when we were the (No.) 9 seed and they were the (No.) 2 seed. I have also really enjoyed playing in the Granite State Games and getting MVP this year for it.

Q: How do you unwind after a game or playing sports?

A: I love to spend time after my games going out to dinner with my friends, and then I like to run through some of the important plays from the game with some ice cream and then watch my favorite show on Netflix to fully unwind after my game.

Q: What kind of music do you love most and why?

A: I love listening to country music because that’s what I grew up listening to with my family, so it gives me a homey feeling that I love. I also really like 2010 pop music that I can sing with my friends.

Q: You were a three-sport captain. How does leadership change or stay the same in different sports?

A: Being a captain, for all three of my sports, made me realize that there are so many different ways to lead a team. Being a captain for my soccer team, I was able to lead with my experience, skill and knowledge for the game while also motivating my team because of how much passion I have for the sport.

I only started playing basketball about six years ago, and I am one of the only girls on the team who doesn’t play AAU, so I had to lead differently because I was definitely not the most talented on the court. I took this opportunity to be a leader through my energy and competitiveness. I pushed my team to have the most energy on the court and really emphasized how important intensity and defense is to the sport. Although I was not the most experienced, I was honored that my coach and my teammates thought of me as a leader.

Lacrosse has been a very hard sport for Pembroke Academy because we just lack experience. Being a leader for lacrosse comes with a more relaxed personality and focusing on developing skills and having fun while also preaching the importance of always putting max effort.

Being a captain for all different teams and atmospheres has strengthened my leadership skills amazingly, and I am so thankful to leave high school with so much experience.

Q: How do you manage playing club soccer and your school sports?

A: Managing a school sport every season while also playing club soccer can be a very daunting task, but I was never willing to give up either. The best way I’ve learned to manage both is by listening to what my body needs. If I need to skip a club practice or take it easy one week, I will to make sure I can continue to keep my body healthy. The best thing I’ve learned is that I need to be physically and mentally healthy to compete at my best. When I take care of my body and my mind, I am able to manage both, but having the understanding that sometimes you can’t do everything is an important lesson to learn.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about playing soccer?

A: I have been playing soccer since I was 5 years old, and it has always been my second home. Soccer brings me a safety net from the rest of the world when I need it. Soccer has also brought me some of my best and strongest relationships and friendships. I meet new amazing people every year through this sport and some of those people have become some of the most impactful people in my life. Soccer brings such a broad community together of competition and respect that I am so proud to be a part of.

Q: You were a high-performing student and athlete. How did you balance those two, and what advice would you give to younger high school athletes?

A: I have always held myself to the highest standards with my athletics and my academics. I always make sure to prioritize my academics, so that my coaches or I never have to be stressed during my time to compete. I have learned a lot of time management skills by being a student athlete and part of three clubs while also working two jobs. Everything I commit myself to I take seriously and enjoy doing, so it no longer feels like a commitment but something that I am happy to go do. If I were to give some advice to younger high school athletes, it would be to become involved in the things you enjoy and not doubt your abilities. I never would have thought I could do all the things I did during high school, but I now feel so accomplished leaving.

Q: What excites you most about continuing to play soccer at Rivier University?

A: I am very excited to continue my athletic career at Rivier University for the next four years. I’m extremely excited because the team and my coach make me feel very valued and included already. I really hope to step right into Rivier and be an impact player that can help my team in whatever way they need. I love the athletic facilities and the program, and I can’t wait to see what I can achieve there with the amazing teammates I’ll have.