Foran’s Ardolino still tough to stop
MILFORD — From the first game of her freshman season, Colleen Ardolino has been an integral part of the Foran girls soccer program. But, naturally, it took a little time to make the adjustment to the high school varsity level.
“I was genuinely scared out of my mind,” Ardolino said about those early days as a freshman. “After awhile, I got more comfortable and my confidence started to build. It only went up from there. It was fun bonding even with the seniors, too. They were all so accepting my freshman year with me starting. … The coaches and the girls all made me feel comfortable.”
Foran coach Casey Blake could see the immediate impact that Ardolino had on the Lions’ program. And that hasn’t changed now that Ardolino is a senior on her way to becoming the program’s first Division I commitment.
“She is very even-keeled and balanced, but as soon as she steps on the field, it’s like a completely different person. She is completely focused, completely driven, she just has an understanding of the game. She brings her teammates up,” Blake said.
Now in the midst of her senior season. Ardolino, a co-captain, is hoping to lead the Lions to a successful season in the difficult Southern Connecticut Conference.
“If we really work hard during practices and we stay focused on our goals, we can do well. Our schedule is difficult,” Ardolino said. “I think we can do good things this year.”
Ardolino already has a pair of hat tricks for the Lions. She has eight goals and two assists in her first four games.
“I feel like we can compete with a lot of these teams,” Blake said.
“I want to be in the mix. I want teams to look at us and say, ‘Oh wow, we got Foran coming up, we have to bring our A game because they are a tough team.’ ”
Ardolino said she considered going to play soccer at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford instead of Foran. But the teammates she grew up playing with in the Milford United Soccer Club were too important for her to go anywhere other than Foran.
It helped that Lauren Ardolino was already with the Lions’ program. Lauren is Colleen’s older sister by a year. They played three seasons together in the midfield — Lauren at center-mid, Colleen at either outside-midfield or forward — and yes, there were several Ardolino-to-Ardolino goals.
“It was always great when I assisted to her or she assisted to me. It was kind of special,” Colleen said. “I had a lot of fun playing with her.”
Ardolino has played premier for Connecticut Football Club (CFC) since the fifth grade. She is now a part of the club’s U17 program.
She was a New Haven Register All-Area selection the past two seasons, including last year when she finished with 13 goals and seven assists.
Foran went 9-4-3 during the 2021 regular season. The Lions lost both postseason games, to Sacred Heart Academy — the eventual Class M co-state champion with Mercy — in the SCC tournament quarterfinals and to Wethersfield in the opening round of the Class L state tournament.
Ardolino may now have the title of co-captain now, but she always has been willing to lead her teammates throughout her stellar career.
“It’s making sure the entire team is doing their best. That title comes with a lot of responsibility,” Ardolino said.
Said Blake: “She is the leader of the team. They look to her. That title just cements that. We talk about that responsibility and what that means and she is ready for it. I think she has always been ready for it.”
There is plenty more to Ardolino than just soccer. She has compiled a 4.5 GPA and takes her share of AP classes. She participates in a number of other extracurricular activities, like running the school’s American Sign Language Club and being a part of the Key Club and Habitat for Humanity.
She also writes for her school newspaper, Mane Street Mirror.
Ardolino will soon become Blake’s first Division I college soccer player. Ardolino verbally committed to play at Bryant University last June.
Ardolino said she had offers from Sacred Heart and Iona and also looked at New Hampshire and Providence.
“I really liked Bryant. They have a really good campus for me. I didn’t want to go too big. When I saw it, I was like, ‘I really like this school,’ ” Ardolino said. “At first it was like, ‘Oh this (the recruiting process) is exciting.’ After awhile, I was like, ‘I want to get this over with.’ I wanted to be done with it before my senior year. I only have to apply to one school.”
She will not only be following her sister into college soccer — Lauren plays soccer for Colby-Sawyer — but Colleen’s dad, Louis, played on Ithaca’s national championship football team in 1991.
But before that happens — and before she signs her national letter of intent later this fall — Ardolino has a stellar high school career at Foran to complete.
“She’s consistent. She is our rock. I know what I’m going to get from her every single day, day in and day out. She never takes a play off or a day off,” Blake said. “To me, she is the total package. She is a great player on the field, a difference maker. But she is a great teammate. She really uplifts these girls and she is their biggest cheerleader. She is the first person to run over and say, ‘Hey, that was a great job’ or the first person to run over and say, ‘Hey we need you, you’ve got to pick it up.’ She is great on offense and defense. You don’t see too many players like that.”