If you’ve gone to see any Rosary Flag Football game, you might have seen Sophie Lickl ‘27 out on the field. Because she has made some of flag football’s top scores and holds an impressive rank as 3rd in the nation, Sophie was chosen as Rosary Athletics’, “Athlete of the Month!”
Right before flag football had a game this past Wednesday, I got the chance to interview Sophie about her sports life:
Q: Why did you choose to play flag football?
A: I’ve been playing for a long time. I started playing in third grade, so when I saw the opportunity to play at Rosary, I took it. I’m also looking into playing at college level and hopefully getting full ride scholarships.
Q: What position do you play?
A: I’m a wide receiver.
Q: Do you play other sports?
A: Basketball is my main sport. After playing for four years, I was able to make Rosary’s varsity team as a guard. But right now, I’m playing flag football since it’s in-season, but I’ll switch back over to basketball in the winter.
Q: What does a typical practice look like?
A: We usually spend most of our practice time going over the route trees and combos. Route tree’s [play organizers] help with quick communication during a game. We try to improve our memorization of each route and really perfect our skills. My coach always says, “If you know all the routes, you know that there’s always other resorts.” There’s also a lot of running involved especially since I’m a wide receiver.
Q: Do you have a pre-game routine?
A: Yes, I do. Before every game, we warm up in lines of five. I usually go in my own separate line to center myself. I still stretch with my team, but I’ll add a couple of my own stretches. Usually, I get quiet and don’t talk much to make sure I’m focused. I also put my gloves in my belt before heading out to the field.
Q: What has been your favorite experience/memory from this season so far?
A: I really like playing with the older girls. I’m used to playing with girls my age or younger, so it’s a nice change. I also love my teammates because they cheer me on no matter what. And for a memory, I’d say this one time where a girl on the opposing team ripped off my shorts in the middle of a game. But that didn’t stop me. Now, I look back at that game and laugh. Overall, it’s a really good sport and it keeps my head in the game.
Q: Who keeps you motivated the most?
A: My team. I’m motivated to play not only for myself but for my team. Especially the game when three of our players got hurt. From that day, their injuries pushed me to not only to do better as a player but as a person. Also, positive comments go a long way. If I miss a catch, my team still cheers me on. Sometimes the sidelines will shout negative comments, but my team keeps it positive.
Q: Okay, now for a random question. Would you rather have invisibility or super strength?
A: Invisibly. During a game, I would be able to crawl through the players. And in day-to-day life, I could slide by people without them even noticing!
Sophie looks like she’ll be having an amazing rest of the season. Make sure to go support Sophie and the flag football team at Servite this coming Thursday against Mater Dei!
