Sophia Jahanshahi loves the game of soccer and has invested a lot to be at her best when she competes. But she is willing to put in all that work because she has plans for her future.
“I had to sacrifice a lot,” she said. “I left Apex, my club team of 12 years, to go join a new club team an hour away from Stillwater. I also give up a lot of my day to go to the fields and train to work and get better. What motivates me is my dream to play in college, and knowing how much my parents have put into this. It helps me to keep pushing forward.”
A sophomore at Stillwater High School, Sophia plays forward and midfield for the school’s soccer team. As a student, she also works hard to excel in the classroom. She currently takes AP classes and does what it takes to get her work done.
“It can be tough to balance school and sports,’ she said. “When we drive to the city for practice, I do my homework in the car.”
There have been people in her life who have made an impact on her and helped Jahanshahi become who she is today.
“My biggest role models are Nicole Ray and Grace Yochum,” she said. “They have taught me so much about the game and how to act on and off the field. A teacher who has been an influence on me would be Ms. Sheppard. She has taught me how to be a better person and has taught me so much about Jesus.”
When she and her teammates compete, it does not matter who is on the other side. They are ready to work hard to get the win. But she does have a couple of teams that make the win a little bit sweeter.
“The opponent I enjoy beating the most is Enid,” Sophia said. “A friend of mine plays on that team, and normally, our team has the most fun when we play them. The highlight moment of my career has to be when we played Edmond Memorial and I scored. A lot of my club teammates play on that team, and it was a big accomplishment to score against them.”
