HUGO, Minn. —

Brooklyn Petronack

Age: 14

Sport: Soccer

Team: Black Mambas

Brooklyn plays U14 girls premier soccer for Manitou FC. She has played soccer for the past 10 years and her team is currently ranked third in the state for their age bracket. Her team also won the championship at the Minnesota State Soccer Cup and will play at nationals in mid-July. She will attend ninth grade at Concordia High School in the fall and enjoys spending time with teammates and school friends and going to Wednesday youth group at church. She also plays basketball and volleyball.

Her biggest challenge in soccer over the past fall and winter season, was recovering from a hip injury. “I had a hip avulsion that kept me on the sidelines for a few months. I overcame this by working hard at physical therapy and being patient,” said Brooklyn. Being a member of a team has taught her that her sport is only successful when her team works together. She loves the great feeling of walking away from a game knowing her team played hard and worked together.

Her advice to other soccer players is to “learn from your mistakes and move on from an upset.” Another skill she has learned when playing defense is to pause and look for players to pass to instead of instantly booting the ball upfield. She is thankful to be a part of a team that is supportive both on and off the field, and also to her coach who puts in a lot of time helping them to improve. Her goals are to continue advancing her skills and playing the sport she loves for many years to come.

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