Page 42 - JAN 2020 proof 1 The Castle Pines Connection

42 CastlePinesConnection.com
Sophia Sobota kills it both on
and off the court
By Carin R. Kirkegaard; photos courtesy of the Sobota family
Sophia Sobota, graduating in 2020 from Rock Canyon High School will continue her volleyball career at Denison University in Granville, Ohio located just outside of Columbus.
Sophia Sobata, a student athlete at Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) found her love for both academics and volleyball in the Castle Pines community. Now in her senior year, Sobata is reaping the bene ts of hard work, determination and focus.
The Sobota family moved to the Castle Pines community in 2008. It was while she was at Timber Trail Elementary that Rhonda Cook, her second and third grade teacher, instilled her love for learning.
Sobota said it was the unique curriculum that Cook taught. The class put on a production of the Nutcracker each year and learned to play chess. Sobota’s mother credits her daughter’s attention to detail and con dence in test taking to the years she spent in Cook’s classroom.
This love of learning is evident in her many academic accolades. Sobota has received the highest academic awards throughout her high school career. She attended the National Student Leadership Conference for Neuroscience and Psychology at Harvard Medical School the summer of 2018. For both her junior and senior year she was selected for the all state academic rst team in volleyball. Sobota is also a member of both the National Honor Society and the National Science Honor Society.
From ice skating to basketball, Sobota tried many sports before nally falling in love with volleyball. At 14-years-old, she joined 303 Volleyball Academy where she met Coach Rachel Olson who helped Sobota develop her quick swing.
While playing at RCHS, Sobota has received continental league outside hitter awards for both her junior and senior years. She earned a varsity letter as a sophomore, junior and senior and was named team captain her senior year. In her varsity career, she has had 634 kills and 204 digs and was ranked sixth in the continental league her senior year.
Sobota will also letter in community service. She has been volunteering at Café 180 through her Senior Studies class. She is working in the kitchen helping persons with various barriers for employment obtain an a ordable meal with dignity (see related story page 23).
After high school, Sobota will attend Denison University in Granville, Ohio. She intends to study neuroscience and of course, play volleyball. Although, it was the school’s academics and size that steered her decision.
“I wanted to love it for the school rst,” she said.
Sobota and her mother are very close and she commented that, “Ohio is the only other place I feel like home.” Sobota was born in Cleveland, Ohio and much of her greater family is still located there, so leaving Colorado won’t be such a big adjustment.
Sophia Sobata grew up playing neighborhood sports in the community.