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04/26/2018 12:00 AMSofia Migani started off as a runner in the early stages of her track and field career. However, upon entering Guilford High School, Sofia took a leap of faith into a new avenue of the sport and has been reaching great heights ever since.
Sofia began doing track and field in the 7th grade and was a sprinter when she joined the girls’ outdoor track team at the high school as a freshman last spring. Head Coach Jon Rivera encouraged Sofia to try out the jumping events and, before she knew it, Sofia was soaring through the air for the Indians.
Now a sophomore, Sofia returned to the team as a jumper this spring and recently turned in a big-time performance that saw her win the high, long, and triple jumps when Guilford defeated rival Hand on April 10.
“Track just clicked with me, and I saw it as something I was good at. Coach Rivera encouraged me to try jumping, but I wasn’t very good at first, but he saw something in me and, eventually, I got it,” says Sofia, who finished fifth in the high jump for the indoor team at states this winter. “The meet against Hand wasn’t one of my best meets, but it was really fun, because it was just us and Hand and I got to see some of my friends. Coach Rivera was right there with me the whole day coaching me. The girls were cheering me on. It was a lot of fun.”
Sofia was competing in the triple jump for just the second time when she won event against Hand. Although she was short on experience in the triple entering this season, Sofia says learning its technique has proven one of her most satisfying experiences as a track and field athlete.
“I hadn’t done the triple jump until about a week ago, but Coach Rivera worked with me and told me to not get upset if my footing was off,” Sofia says. “I was put in the triple jump the day after I tried it at practice. The form of the event is a lot of fun to do. It’s a couple of skips, and then you hop into the pit. I’m still getting the hang of it.”
Sofia admits that she had some doubts about joining the high-school ranks with the challenge of balancing sports with other things in life, as well as the pressure of producing points for her team. By using a simple, day-by-day approach, Sofia has found her center and is off to a great start in her second outdoor season.
“Last year, I was nervous about the transition to high-school track with its schedule and commitments, but it all evened out in the end,” she says. “Helping the team get points, you can feel a lot of pressure, but I try to not let that get to me. I try to focus on only me when I jump.”
Coach Rivera says that Sofia’s ability to stay positive and get the most out of everything, particularly constructive criticism, are crucial characteristics that will carry her far into the future.
“Sofia is a special talent and one that does not come around all the time. Even though she is just a sophomore and has not matched their performances yet, I put her right up there with the best that I have coached,” says Rivera. “She is still figuring things out...but once she puts it together, she is going to be a superstar. A strength of hers is she listens to instruction, and she listens to the critiques and is always eager to learn.”
While still an underclass athlete, Sofia is relishing the opportunity to mentor some of her younger teammates in the jumps. Going forward, Sofia wants to help Guilford improve upon its status in the SCC and then potentially make the leap to the next level by competing in college.
“I think already this year I’ve improved from last season. We have some new freshmen this year, including three jumpers, and I can’t wait to coach them,” says Sofia, who thanks Coach Rivera, girls’ indoor track coach Jim Ford, and her parents, Reno and Nina. “I hope to keep going with track and possibly do it in college.”