With 150 goals and 56 assists in her five years of playing varsity soccer at Orono High School (OHS), it goes without say that senior Sophie Babo is an outstanding soccer player. It is because of this that she was named Gatorade Minnesota Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year.

“I have been playing since I was four years old,” Babo said, “but I really started getting more intense with my soccer training and dedicating more time to it when I was nine years old.”

Her dedication to playing soccer truly shows through the amount of time she invests practicing the sport despite the many other activities she is involved in.

Not only has Babo maintained a very high GPA throughout her high school career, but she also spends much of her time mentoring at the middle school as well as coaching youth soccer. In addition to this, Babo also enjoys volunteering at Operation Christmas Child and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

“Sophie started playing varsity soccer in eighth grade and has improved every year,” head soccer coach Erin Murray said. “She spends a ton of time outside of her free time just trying to improve her game to become a better player.”

Babo has been selected four times by the Star-Tribune for the First Team All-Metro award and is also a four-time Wright County Conference MVP. In addition to this, she has signed a letter of intent to play division one soccer at the University of Kentucky, on an athletic scholarship.

“What made her stand out at first was just her ability to score. She could score shots that I hadn’t even seen at the collegiate level,” Murray said. “However, as she got older, she became more of a physical presence on the field as well as a stronger leader and role model.”

The Gatorade Minnesota Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year award is awarded to incredible athletes that are able to demonstrate character in all areas of life, not just on the field, as well as athletes that achieve in the classroom. It is because of this that Babo is a perfect model of the type of athlete that deserves this award.

“This award means a lot to me. It reflects not only my hard work but the hard work of my teammates, coaches and family to help me be the soccer player that I am,” Babo said.  “I would not be receiving this award if it were not for the people that have been there supporting me since I was four years old playing recreational soccer.”