Former Phoenix rising with Niagara
St. Francis graduate commits to playing soccer with Knights
In the end home field was the biggest advantage of all when the time came for Sophia Al-Kayed to decide where she wanted to play soccer next season.
Rather than leaving her home in St. Catharines to continue her education, both in the classroom as well on the pitch, the St. Francis Catholic Secondary School graduate will be taking the general business program at Niagara College.
“Staying close to family is an important thing to me,” the daughter of Hassan and Christina Al-Kayed said.
She also considered Brock University but was much more familiar with Niagara’s main campus in Welland after competing in high school and basketball showcases hosted by the college.
“They both had my program, business, so there was no point in really leaving home.”
The 18-year-old, who is also part of the St. Catharines Jets under-21 program and competes on a regional team that has won three Golden Horseshoe Soccer League titles, said the “compelling business program” was a factor in her decision as was the soccer program at the region’s community college.
“Not only did the academics intrigue me but also the soccer team’s recent performances and the team’s coaching staff,” she said.
Rob Lalama, women’s soccer team head coach at the college, described Al-Kayed as a playmaker who combines aggression and speed as a striker.
“We’ve been scouting Sophia for the past few years at St. Francis and with the Niagara Regional Soccer Program,” he said. “She’s able to a beat a defender one-on-one or hold onto the ball to make a play to a supporting player.”
Al-Kayed, the coach added, will bring the speed, creativity and the ability to find the back of the net.
Al-Kayed appreciates she may play fewer minutes in her rookie season with the Knights than she did on her teams at the high school, club and regional level.
“It’s like starting off with anything, you have to start at the bottom to play at the top,” she said.
The standout point guard at St. Francis is leaving the door open to becoming a two-sport athlete at the college level.
“We’ll just have to see, but I’m pretty sure I will be able to try out for basketball after the soccer season ends.”
Al-Kayed likes soccer better than basketball, but she loves both sports.
“When you play soccer, it’s a bigger field, there are more things I can do by myself,” she said. “For basketball, it’s a short court, more passing, more short plays than soccer.”
Lalama is looking forward to seeing what Al-Kayed can accomplish at the next level.
“Sophia gives our team the added attack we need,” he said. “We are getting both a quality player, and a good person to join our women's soccer program.”