Merced Union High School District

Sofia Alcorn has been playing soccer since she was four years old and as long as she can remember playing at the collegiate level has been on her list of goals. Thursday afternoon, she was able to celebrate reaching that goal with family, friends, coaches and teammates as Buhach Colony High School held a signing ceremony at the new on-campus stadium as Alcorn officially signed her national letter of intent to accept a soccer scholarship to Southern Utah University.

 

“My dream since I've been little is to go play a pro, to play on the U.S. women's national team. but obviously playing in college is my first step, and so the fact that this is a reality now is surreal,” Alcorn said.

 

It’s been a special year for Alcorn. She became the first Buhach Colony girls player to score a goal at the new stadium earlier this season. She then helped lead the Thunder to their first Central California Conference championship in school history. Now she’s headed to college to continue playing the sport she loves.

 

There was a parade of people who stepped up to the podium to congratulate Alcorn on her special day. Her mother Holly and father Billy talked about the dedication their daughter displayed to the sport she loves. They talked about how she had to sacrifice social events and many of the other things kids love to do so she could travel to tournaments, long practices, showcases and other events soccer required her to do to get where she wanted to go in the sport.

 

Buhach Colony athletic director A.J. Abril spoke about what Alcorn has meant to the team and the campus as a straight A student, who is involved in just about everything at school. “Remember, this is not the end of your story,” Abril said. “It is the beginning of an exciting new chapter. College will challenge you in new ways, but if your high school career has shown us anything, it's that you will rise to the challenges. We are incredibly proud of you. Congratulations on this well deserved opportunity and your commitment to Southern Utah. We cannot wait to see all that you accomplish in the next stage of your life.”

Many of Acorns’ Thunder teammates stepped to the podium and spoke about how she inspired the younger players and how they looked up to her. They also pointed out how she went out her way to make sure all her teammates felt included on the team. Buhach Colony soccer coach Richard Howard felt he had another coach on the pitcher with Alcorn. She was someone her teammates looked to for leadership. 

 

“She’s not the kind of leader that needs a title, not the kind that needs a captain's band,” Howard said. “She leads with her heart, her teammates didn't just rely on her performance, they relied on her presence. When Sofia stepped on the field, there was a sense of security, there was reassurance, there was a belief, and that's what makes it even more powerful, and that doesn't come easy.”

 

Alcorn seemed to be in the middle of everything during the Thunder’s historic season, scoring 20 goals and recording 11 assists as a center midfielder. Alcorn says it was going through injuries while playing soccer over the years that led her to pursuing her major of exercise science. She wants to go become a physical therapist or sports physical therapist to help others coming back from injuries. 

 

Alcorn chose Southern Utah for its small-town feel, supportive coaching staff, and tight-knit team environment which is similar to the team culture she experienced at Buhach Colony. “I wanted coaches who wanted me for who I was as a person and a player, and they just really valued me and wanted to see me get better and help me become a better person and a better player. Then the team, they're really just like a family. All the girls are so sweet. They have such a tight bond and so immediately, when I showed up to go look at their training and stuff, I wanted to be a part of that.”

Shawn Jansen is the MUHSD Program Manager Digital Media. He can be reached at Sjansen@muhsd.org.