WCDS Adds Three Alumni to Athletic Hall of Fame
Westchester Country Day School inducted three alumni into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Aug. 13.
Soccer standouts Todd Kim, class of 2006, Lasse Palomaki, class of 2012, and Ryeong Choi, class of 2015, were recognized during the school’s Alumni Soccer Game. Standing alongside their families, they were presented with plaques and congratulated by Adam Schwartz, soccer coach and director of athletics.
“In my 21 years of coaching Varsity Soccer at Westchester, I have had the opportunity to work with and lead unbelievably talented players and teams," said Schwartz. "Todd, Lasse and Ryeong are not only three of the most talented on and off the field, but they are the most incredible teammates anyone could ever ask to play with or coach. I am proud of the young men they have grown into since they have graduated. The WCDS Hall of Fame just got a lot stronger adding these three teammates to an already awesome group.”
The three inductees also joined more than two dozen alumni who returned to Kennedy Field for a scrimmage with the Varsity Boys Soccer team. The game featured current and past players from multiple decades, including members of Westchester’s three state championship soccer teams. The alumni came out on top in the competitive game.
Kim, Palomaki and Choi join the growing list of athletes, coaches and volunteers who have made significant contributions to athletic excellence at Westchester. Nominations for the Athletic Hall of Fame are solicited from Westchester alumni, and final selection is determined by a committee of alumni, faculty, staff and members of the athletic department.
 | Kim was a member of Westchester’s 2003 state championship soccer team. During his soccer career at Westchester, he scored 73 goals and was named MVP (2004, 2005), Male Athlete of the Year (2005) and Conference Player of the Year (2005). He earned All-Conference (2003, 2004, 2005), Academic All-Conference (2004, 2005, 2006), NCISAA All-State (2005) and NCSCA All-Region (2004, 2005) honors. After graduating in 2006, he returned to serve as an assistant coach for the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Kim has been in the martial arts field for more than 12 years. He currently manages seven taekwondo schools for Tiger Kim’s World Class Tae Kwon Do Centers in North Carolina and South Carolina. |
 | Palomaki was a member of the 2010 state championship soccer team. As a WCDS student-athlete, he was named the soccer MVP (2010) and Conference Player of the Year (2011). He earned All-Conference (2010, 2011), NCISAA All-State (2010, 2011), NCSCA All-Region (2010, 2011), and NCSCA All-State (2010) honors. After graduating from WCDS in 2012, Palomaki attended UNC Greensboro on scholarship, where he played Division I soccer from 2012 to 2014. He served as an assistant coach for WCDS in 2013. He earned both his undergraduate business degree and an MBA from UNCG and established a career building and facilitating training programs. Currently, he is a professional development specialist for UNCG’s Bryan School of Business and Economics, where he develops curriculum and teaches various leadership development courses for undergraduate students. He will be partnering with Westchester during the 2021-2022 school year to offer personal and professional development for Upper School students. |
 | Choi was a member of the Westchester soccer team during the 2011-2014 seasons. During that time, he was named soccer MVP (2013, 2014), Male Athlete of the Year (2015), and Conference Player of the Year (2014). He earned All-Conference (2012, 2013, 2014), NCISAA All-State (2013, 2014), NCSCA All-Region (2014), Triad All-Area (2014), and Academic All-Conference (2013, 2014) honors. After graduating from WCDS in 2015, he attended High Point University on scholarship, where he played Division I soccer from 2015 to 2018. He was a Panther Award recipient in 2017 and a recipient of the Millis Scholar Athlete Award in 2016, 2017 and 2018. His team won the Big South Regular Season Championship in 2017 and 2018 and was the first to make it to the NCAA Division I Tournament. His professional career includes playing for the Greenville Triumph in 2019 (USL Finalist). In 2020, he served as an assistant coach for WCDS. He is currently pursuing a personal training and sports nutrition certificate while conditioning to continue his professional career. |
