Morel joins hockey squad, his third Waldorf sport

By Zach Throne

Already competing in football and track, Zach Morel added another sport to his extra-curricular activities at Waldorf in the past couple weeks: hockey.

He plays wide receiver and punter in football.

“Zach Morel showed up as a JuCo transfer in 2019 and started a little slow, but he found himself as a huge part of the offense by the end of the year,” said fellow wide receiver Chris Jones. “He is such a great athlete that you put the ball in his hands any time you can. He also was a great punter for us that year.”

After a stellar season of catching passes and punting in 2019, an ankle injury and surgery kept him out of the entire 2020 season.

“We really missed Morel this past year, for wide receiver and punter,” said Jones.

The injury occurred in track, a sport where the versatile athlete puts his athleticism to the test. He runs hurdles, but he also competes in the decathlon, which is an event designed for athletes who are talented in many events.

Considering his multiple-sport capability, the decathlon fits Morel perfectly. He qualified for NAIA Nationals in the event last spring and competed at the national meet with a broken ankle.

Morel still finished 14th in the event.

This spring, Morel has almost fully recovered from his ankle injury.

He has been running hurdles as an unattached athlete at Waldorf’s open track meets to take away points from opposing teams.

Morel grew up in California, but hockey was still his first love. He spent a year in Boston which is where his desire to play hockey expanded.

After spending a semester and a half at Waldorf, he made the decision to join the hockey team.

“It is definitely my top sport out of all the sports I have played,” said Morel. “To me, there’s just something about it with a feeling I get that doesn’t come with my other sports.”

Since joining the team, Morel already has two goals and an assist.

Morel is not only “on” the football, track and hockey teams, but he plays a crucial role for all three.

“Playing three sports is definitely challenging, but I am a competitor,” said Morel. “I love every minute of being on the field, track and ice.”

Waldorf hockey has about a month left of their season, while track starts outdoor soon.

He looks forward to the outdoor track season and hopes to finish the hockey season strong, while practicing for football as well.