Instincts rule Courtney Engle's world.

That's the way it is for Engle as a multiple-sport athlete.

Whether it is selecting a pitching wedge or a 9-iron on an approach shot, or deciding whether to come out of the cage an extra 5 or 7 feet to stop an oncoming opponent in field hockey, Engle's decision-making abilities certainly have molded her as an athlete.

Now, the Colorado Academy senior is getting national recognition as a result.

Engle, a goalie for the powerhouse Mustangs field hockey team, recently was selected to participate in the USA Field Hockey Futures Elite program, which recognizes some of the top prep players in the sport from across the country.

Only 150 players are selected to the program yearly, and Engle was the only Colorado selection this year. While most of the program features players from the East Coast, more than 4,800 athletes participated in the original regional process.

What does this mean for Engle? For starters, it includes opportunities to travel abroad playing the sport she loves. It also could translate to admission into the Olympic developmental program.

"I wasn't expecting it at all, to be honest," Engle said. "I play because I love the sport, not to make any team or to get special recognition, but it is absolutely phenomenal for me. But I can't wait to get the extra training and just get to keep playing to get better.

"It really means so much more to be selected from the Midwest (Region)," Engle added. "Hockey isn't as big out here as it is on the East Coast, so to be a part of this is just extraordinary."

According to second-year Colorado Academy coach Rachel Sparkes, there are few things that separate a great goalie from a standout goalie. Engle, she said, possesses a few standout qualities that have made their mark.

She praised Engle's quick reactions as a catalyst to her exceptional skills in the cage and also commented on the knowledge she has of her surroundings, particularly when vocalizing situations for the Mustangs defense.

"She got thrown into varsity very early and has worked very hard to make the position her own," Sparkes said. "She is a very good short-stopper, and she reads the game very well.

"Defenders know that when she talks, they listen."

From a team aspect, simply being selected to the program has given Engle a bit more fire and passion to see her teammates succeed, something she said is just as important as achievement itself.

The Mustangs, heading into the season with a large senior class, are trying to return to the championship game for the fourth consecutive year. Much like the famed Buffalo Bills of the early 1990s, the Mustangs have fallen short all three years to juggernaut Kent Denver.

Engle knows what a team championship feels like, after being an integral part of Colorado Academy's state championship golf team during the spring. She qualified for state and, with back-to-back rounds of 90, finished tied for 18th to help the Mustangs take the title.

Being able to share in that championship joy is what Engle is striving for in field hockey.

"I'd love to repeat the experience with my teammates on this team," said Engle, who has not decided on a college. "My teammates are really challenging me and pushing me even harder, and I hope that I am giving them a challenge as well. It's a good start to the season."

NOTEBOOK

• One of the state's best-known coaches will return to the sideline this season, for Cherry Creek, as Ashley Thompson will resume coaching duties with the Bruins.

Thompson coached the team to a title in 2002 and a runner-up finish in 2004.

"There are no words to describe how lucky I feel that the job opened up again," said Thompson, who signed on to be an assistant with Smoky Hill and tried starting programs at Regis and Mullen before the job at Cherry Creek became available again. "The caliber and character of the athletes, the supportive administration and parents and the spirit at Cherry Creek are all reasons I love my job. I didn't think twice about reapplying."

• Several coaches are looking forward to a new two-division alignment within the 14-team league that will better serve midtier teams when it comes to seeding for the playoffs.

Teams will play each of their division opponents twice while also committing to two cross- division games during the regular season. All teams will be seeded for a 15th game that further will determine an eight-team bracket.

The move might assist in a variance of seeding among what has been a hard sport to break into the top four seeds.

The divisions will line up as follows: Colorado Academy, Smoky Hill, Fort Collins, Golden, Eaglecrest, Denver East and St. Mary's Academy comprise one division, and Kent Denver, Cherry Creek, Grandview, Mountain Vista, Cheyenne Mountain, Lewis-Palmer and Fountain Valley make up the other.

• Thomas Jefferson will not field a team this year, but the sport has shown growth in some other areas, as Lewis-Palmer gets going in varsity play.

While it might be a struggle in the beginning in having to play Cherry Creek and Kent Denver twice in a season, coach Kathleen Raphael expects big things. "We've faced a huge learning curve in the past at the junior varsity level and responded well," Raphael said. "I expect us to respond quite well to this next challenge."

• Mountain Vista made the playoffs for the first time in its short existence under coach Brian Nutter, and the Golden Eagles could be a team to watch. Experience abounds on a team that had big wins down the stretch to make the playoffs last year. Keep an eye out for junior Britney Ryan as a top scorer.

• New Fort Collins coach Jessica Fluck brings to the state some international experience, having previously coached the sport at the Hong Kong International School. Fluck is an assistant with Rocky Mountain's girls soccer program, but this will be her first head coaching gig in the U.S.

• In addition to Colorado Academy's Courtney Engle, a couple other solid goalkeepers return for their teams. Carly Wagner, a Smoky Hill senior, posted 12 shutouts last season. Denver East will rely heavily on Lexi Sigler (nine goals allowed in 2006). Both keepers earned all-state honorable mention last season.

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