Bustin’ Ours to Kick Yours.

Name: Susie McKnight

Grade: 12

Height: 5’ 4”

Hair Color: Brown

Eye Color: Brown

Date of Birth: January 11, 2005

Name: Sophia Wan-Brodsky

Grade: 12

Height: 5’ 7”

Hair Color: Brown

Eye Color: Brown

Date of Birth: January 16, 2005

When and how did you start playing soccer?

Susie: I started playing when I was really young in my local rec league, probably around the age of three or four. I played rec up through middle school, but I joined club as well around the third grade, and I’ve been playing ever since.

Sophia: I think I started when I was around six or seven, also in a rec league. I ended up playing for their travel team, and then switching to a different club (Gjøa) when I was in sixth grade. I have been with them since then.

How long have you been on the Mimbas, the Stuyvesant varsity girls’ soccer team? What inspired you to join the soccer team here at Stuyvesant?

Susie: I joined my freshman year, and obviously we didn’t have our sophomore year because of COVID, but we’ve been on it for the past two years as well. It was kind of natural that I was going to join the team. I had been playing club for about five years at that point, so I was definitely looking to play in high school because I just like playing. Also, my club team is off in the fall, so I wanted to keep playing during that time.

Sophia: Yeah, same. I was there for the same years as Susie. It was very similar, where it was the natural thing just to join the team, and it was always the plan for me to play in high school.

What positions do you play, and what skills/strengths are involved?

Susie: I play center-attacking midfielder. I feel like that’s a playmaker position, which is primarily involved in the attack, but you’re also supposed to get back and defend as well. It requires a lot of running and distributing the ball. You don’t have much time on the ball, because you’re in the middle, so there’s a lot of pressure and you have to be very aware of your surroundings and have the ability to use your body and stand up against players.

Sophia: I used to also play central-midfield, but that was just for my freshman year. Starting my junior year, and also this year, I have been exclusively playing central-defense. I think the biggest thing is being brave, super physical, fast, and aggressive. What I ended up liking about the position is that I feel like it’s the highest risk position because a mistake can easily be a goal against your team, so it has a lot of duty that comes along with it and a lot of responsibility. That was just something that I really liked growing into because I had never really played that before, since I was always a midfielder. But that changed, and I became a better player after I started playing defense and [grew] more decisive and confident.

What is your most memorable moment with the Mimbas?

Susie: I would have to say the playoffs last year. It’s the farthest we went in our careers at Stuyvesant, to quarterfinals, and I think it’s the farthest we’ve gone in recent Mimbas history. Honestly, it’s just really fun. Each playoff game is a struggle. The first one was kind of easy, but it was a good bonding experience, coming into that second round game and getting the win. It was honestly just really fun and brought the team together.

Sophia: The moment I always remember the most was from my freshman year, where we were down a goal. I scored with just a few minutes left in the game, and that was actually my first goal for the team. We ended up winning in extra time a few minutes later, so without my goal, we would’ve lost. That was really powerful because I was still a freshman, so I wasn’t being played the entire game prior to that ( it was the upperclassmen usually), so that felt like a very big moment to prove myself.

Do you have any plans to continue playing soccer in the future or in college?

Susie: I’m definitely not going to play varsity soccer in college, but I would definitely say I plan to play club soccer in college. I feel like I’ve been playing at a competitive level for so many years, so joining the high school team just feels natural. It’s been my source of exercise and stress relief for so long and it’s a pretty integral part of my life, so I definitely plan to continue, just not at the same level.

Sophia: The same as Susie. I definitely will play some sort of soccer in college.

Do you have any pregame superstitions or rituals?

Susie: I’m kind of infamous for taking forever to get ready. I need my hair to be perfect, and I just do a ponytail, but I don’t want any bumps. I always wear pre-wrap. I use purple pre-wrap for Stuyvesant and blue pre-wrap for club. Also, before I step on the field, I put on my chapstick and take a sip [from] my water bottle. I don’t know why, but that’s just something that I developed.

Sophia: I don’t know if it’s a superstition, but I always tuck my laces in. I tie them, but with the loops you have after, and everything hanging off, I always tuck it in. Somehow my laces come undone anyway though.

What is your jersey number, and what made you decide that number? Susie: My number is 18, which has been my number for my club team for about seven years now. I was lucky enough to have it available in my size during my freshman year, so I have been able to continue wearing it at Stuy. After my club randomly assigned me the number 18, I originally disliked it and even tried to change it, but it has since grown on me.

Sophia: My jersey number is five. I’d never had that number before, but when I was little, I decided that five was my lucky number, so I’m happy that it was in my size.

Did the team accomplish the goals it had this year? How would you rate your season?

Susie: We came into the season with a lot of new faces, so our first goal was building team chemistry, an essential element in order to [succeed]. Our main focus was the attacking side as it had completely shifted from last season and was primarily made up of underclassmen. Throughout the season, we improved our connection and off-ball movement immensely. However, we struggled with getting effective shots off. Overall, I am so super proud of how much we grew as a team and would rate the season an eight out of 10.

Sophia: I definitely agree with Susie on this one. When the season starts, you throw together 20 girls across four grades: many of them don’t know each other, and, for this year, a lot of them were joining a Stuyvesant sports team for the first time. The primary goal was to turn this group of girls into a team, and I absolutely saw that happen during the season. Every single player became better over the course of the season, and this was one of my personal goals as a captain—making sure we all improved. The only thing that made the season less than perfect was [the difficulty] completing opportunities in the attacking third. Like Susie said, getting in good shots was a challenge, including finishing crosses. This was frustrating because we had all the other pieces in place, but we just lacked that final five percent at times. I’d rate the season an eight out of 10.

What are the best and worst parts of soccer?

Susie: One of the best parts for me is the community you build with your teammates. I have met so many amazing people that I likely would have never crossed paths without Stuy soccer. Creating those relationships makes every goal much more exciting and every practice so much more fun. I would say the frustration that comes with soccer is the worst part. Sometimes my team is having an off game or I am not playing as well as I would like, and I find myself getting upset and angry. I have learned to take a second to calm myself and ensure that I keep a good attitude, but those unsatisfying games or practices can be hard to get through.

Sophia: The best part is having something to look forward to every day after school. The soccer season is my favorite time at Stuyvesant. I love being able to see my friends at practices. Playing is always such a great release from stress and it always makes me feel happy. The worst part for me can be having to stay back at defense. There are some games that require more of the defenders, and there are some games that require more of the midfielders and forwards. I can’t abandon my position—that’s how goals get conceded—but that can make it feel like parts of the games are out of my hands. That can be frustrating.

Is there a particular coach, teammate or soccer player you feel inspired by?

Susie: Sophia. She stepped up to play center back and lead the defense line during her junior year with essentially no experience in the position. Center back requires composure, aggression, and general awareness of the field, and Sophia has managed to master all three of those elements, plus more, throughout the past two years. Her adaptability is the reason we have been able to be successful in the defense.

Sophia: Susie! I loved having her as a co-captain. Leading alongside her was an amazing experience. She impressed me so much with her confidence and talent on the ball all the way back to our freshman year season. I’ve seen her become so strong and capable as a captain. She works magic in our midfield, working her way out of situations where she’s being double or triple-teamed by players from the other team and still [delivering] great shots and passes.

How did you adapt to losing a year of soccer due to COVID-19 lockdowns?

Susie: I was lucky enough that my club team continued to practice during that year of remote learning. It felt a lot different from the typical season, with freezing practices in the snow and the incredibly inconvenient mask mandate. However, I was grateful for the opportunity to continue to play on a competitive level and keep my skills sharp, which allowed me to return to Stuyvesant soccer in decent shape.

Sophia: It was similar for me. My club held in-person practices during my sophomore year, though at the end of my freshman year, these practices were virtual. I think I managed to come out of quarantine a better soccer player than I was at the start of the freshman year season. I had learned so much from that first year, and I really got to digest it during that year away, though having that season definitely would have been more helpful to my development. After soccer in my freshman year, I joined the track team and have been running consistently ever since, including over lockdown. I came into junior year a smarter and fitter player.

Susie McKnight

Funniest Teammate: Kavya Green

Favorite Soccer Player: Pablo Gavi

Favorite Soccer Team: USWNT

Brand of Cleats: Nike

Playing on Full or Light Stomach: Full

Favorite Sports Drink: Celsius

Favorite Post-Game Snack: Goldfish

Hobbies: Long walks, listening to music

Motto to Live By: Always be prepared for the unknown.

Soccer Pet Peeve: Not picking your head up and looking around the field.

Fun Fact: I got good Taylor Swift tickets.

Sophia Wan-Brodsky

Funniest Teammate: Kavya Green

Favorite Soccer Player: Megan Rapinoe/Son Heung-min

Favorite Soccer Team: USWNT

Brand of Cleats: Adidas

Playing on Full or Light Stomach: Light

Favorite Sports Drink: They are all disgusting.

Favorite Post-Game Snack: Chocolate chip cookies

Hobbies: Baking, running, rock climbing

Motto to Live By: Be brave.

Soccer Pet Peeve: When people lift their arms trying to trap a ball out of the air.

Fun Fact: I have a pet gecko.