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12/13/2023 02:46 PMSophie Mioline was always drawn to the game of soccer at the surface, but once she delved deeper and discovered the importance of quintessential colleagues and coaches away from the pitch, it just drove her to greater heights, not only as an athlete, but also as a more reassuring person and later leader.
The Branford girls’ soccer senior captain and defender was first introduced to sports via soccer with her father, who coached her throughout her youth. While dipping her toe in other athletic waters, such as flag football, lacrosse, and softball, she stuck with soccer upon entering high school. This fall as a captain, she battled back from an early-season knee injury to lead the Hornets to a 9-8-2 overall mark, and dual postseason berths in the SCC and state tournaments.
“The girls and I all grew up together playing soccer while having great coaches, which made it so much fun, and the chemistry we had made it all worth it,” says Sophie. “At first, I played all over the place, so I had to find the position that works for me. I had to ask questions to the coaches and learn from other players. Staying positive along the way and finding the best ways to learn that worked for me really helped me. Practicing also played a big part, along with all of those other things when it came to focusing on my strengths.”
Assuming the captain’s role can prove to be a daunting task, with many duties laid at the foot of a student-athlete–yet Sophie could not have asked for a better crop of teammates and mentors to accompany her along for the journey.
“It was an honor to be captain, especially for this team, because of the amazing people here. They made you want to be around the team,” Sophie says. “I wanted to lead on and off the field, and help everyone get more involved in the team. It was a lot of responsibilities, but because of this team, it was very easy to be a leader.”
Sophie expresses that the defensive fold of the field often plays an unsung role on the pitch, when it comes to producing points and triumphs. She adds that it was faith and commitment into each piece on the field that allowed the Hornets to swarm with a stingy defense.
“I love being that rock for the team on defense. People that watch soccer do not realize how important a strong defense is,” says Sophie. “As a team, we made changes and put girls in spots where they thrived. I trusted every person who I played with, and trust was a huge part of our season, and it made our defensive line strong.”
As a shy rookie, trepidation was naturally afoot when it came to Sophie’s maiden voyages with Branford, though it churned away from that, thanks to finding her flow and cohesion with the other girls. It also helped her push back the knee injury, and not let it snowball mentally and affect her final campaign negatively.
“I was timid my freshman year, and I think getting rid of that comes with confidence and being around people who want you to succeed. I had to gain that confidence and feel comfortable with my teammates,” says Sophie. “I missed a few games with the knee injury this year, and it was tough mentally to sit out, yet I knew it was the right thing to do for the team. I think overall that this team being so close helped me out of my shell.”
Branford Head Coach Jen Kohut explains that Sophie had a much coveted balance of tenacity on the turf, and compassion and care for her teammates away from it, while being a lock-down defender who had a cannon of an arm to assist the offense.
“Sophie is the type of player that every coach would want more of on her team. She is the consummate team player; she works tirelessly each day in practice, and leaves everything she has on the field every game,” says Kohut. “She has played almost every minute of every game since her freshman year. Soph was a very dangerous threat on the field with her throw, which was at least 30 yards. Having her take a throw in near our offensive third gave us many scoring opportunities. She was a very tenacious defender, who was extremely adept at tracking her mark and running them down and winning the ball. Soph is one of the most caring and kindest people I know. She always thinks of others and puts them first. She will be sorely missed on the field next year.”
The Hornets were on an upward trajectory each and every day of the 2023 campaign, regardless of the final result on the scoreboard. In being more introspective and now retrospective on her tenure with the Branford program, Sophie explains that it was paramount to her personal development.
“We had a great season this year, and each game, we were able to play and improve as a team. Everyone was able to reach their own goals, as well. We had strong games against strong teams, and worked hard in practice, too,” Sophie says. “I would not be the person I am today without Branford soccer. It made me grow as a person and helped me build lifelong friendships. It was great to share a sport with amazing coaches and teammates.”