Freshman Sonia Williams takes not only the pressure of one sport, but two full time sports in one season. Her day to day life is filled with practices, team bonding activities, and recovering, on top of being a student. She is a JV and Varsity athlete in both Soccer and Track and Field, meaning she has that much more pressure to succeed.
Sonia was hesitant about playing two sports in one season, but ultimately, thought it was the best for her because of the love she has for both sports. Sonia explains, “I want to prove to people that I can do 5 extracurricular activities in one year.” Her love for both sports started when she was just a young girl, starting soccer when she was just 2, and track and field at 12. Although time management is hard, she always finds a way to balance track and soccer with her social life. “Any time I have free time, I always try and hang out with my friends that don’t play a sport because with playing two sports, I never have any extra time to hang out with my friends that don’t play sports. However, when I am not with them, I love to go on runs.” Sonia’s favorite thing about playing two sports is being able to meet new people, and being able to bond with them through playing the sports she grew up loving.
Sonia Williams isn’t the only one doubling down, her mother Susanna Williams also has double the responsibility. Not only is Susana Sonia’s mother, but she is also her soccer coach. Susana explains the process of allowing Sonia to play two different sports, stating, “As a parent, we had a long conversation about the difficulty of balancing two sports. She is a freshman in high school. It is ultimately her choice what she wants to be involved in, and how she learns to manage and decide where her passions lie.” Susana always makes sure Sonia’s mental and physical health are up to par being in two sports. She states, “She is taking ice baths, sleeping, and eating plenty of meals to maintain energy. I want to make sure she is also recovering on her days off.” Susana also talks about the importance of maintaining good grades while being so busy. Considering the times she would miss school for games or meets, it’s imperative that she stays focused and sets aside time to get that extra work done.
Sonia loves to be pushed and likes to have a packed schedule. She is planning on continuing to push herself and continue with both track and soccer for her Sophomore year (along with her 3 other extracurricular activities). She is set to go down a challenging, but rewarding path and Rock Island looks forward to seeing how far this young lady can go.
