News We Love: Twin sisters share the same field — in different ways
Twin sisters Ashley and Katie Klatt have shared nearly everything in life — from birthdays to classrooms — and now, the football field.
But while they stand on the same turf at Nantucket High School in Massachusetts, they’ve taken very different paths.
Ashley, the younger twin by two minutes, is the only girl on the Whalers’ football team. Katie, meanwhile, leads the crowd as a senior cheerleader, cheering on both the team — and her sister — every Friday night.
Ashley has played nearly every position — even stepping in at quarterback this season. She joined the team the summer before her freshman year.
“It was very nerve-wracking, very scary because I was the littlest one on the team at the time,” Ashley said. “But I learned over time — getting in the weight room, learning endurance, working hard. That team became a second family to me.”
Her love of football started young, watching Dallas Cowboys games with her dad every Sunday.
“My dad’s side of the family is from Texas,” she laughed. “So, of course, that had to be our NFL team.”
Her teammates say she brings more than skill — she brings heart.
“She always remembers everyone’s birthdays,” one teammate said. “She brings up team morale, and she’s always there when you need her.”
While Ashley is making tackles, Katie is helping lift spirits from the sidelines.
“We do a handshake before every game,” Katie said. “I just love cheering her on and seeing her out there. I’m so proud of her and all that she’s accomplished.”
Their pre-game ritual is a reminder of the bond they share — one that’s never wavered.
“We’ve had this incredible bond since the day we were born,” Ashley said. “She supports me in my dreams, and I support her in hers.”
Their mom, Sandy Klatt, says the sisters have always been “completely opposite” — one left-handed, one right-handed — but inseparable.
“They always come together,” she said. “That’s what makes them best friends.”
Both plan to attend Endicott College next fall — Katie to study nursing with dreams of becoming a MedFlight nurse, and Ashley to major in sports management and pursue a career as a sports reporter or analyst.
“They’re just a great duo together,” said Nantucket High School Principal Mandy Hilemn. “They’re so supportive of each other and of everything in our school.”
