For many college athletes, the sophomore season marks a turning point. The excitement of the first year begins to fade, expectations rise, and the pressure to perform becomes more real both on and off the field.
For Ava Johnson, a second-year soccer forward at Southern Oregon University, that transition has brought new challenges and new perspectives. After completing her first collegiate season, she has learned to balance the demands of being a student-athlete while also discovering who she is beyond the sport.
In this interview, Ava reflects on personal growth, increased expectations, and the motivation that continues to push her forward as she navigates her sophomore year at the collegiate level.
How has your identity as a soccer player changed since arriving on campus?
Before college, soccer was everything that I identified with. All of my time went to practicing, playing, attending camps, and or traveling for soccer. When most people I went to school with had the chance to pick up new hobbies, make new friends, and attend different events, I had soccer. Friends who were not athletes asked to hangout outside of school and the response was always “sorry, I have soccer”. However, after my first college season I was able to make new friends, apply for my first job, and make new memories that are not soccer related. Arriving at college has given me the chance to find myself outside of being an athlete.
What advice would you give your freshman-year self?
My freshman year was all new and exciting. It made everything very fun while I was still seeing success and things were going my way. However, after a long season and injuries, the success I was once finding started to fade. With this the pressure of being away from home and school were more present than ever. Following this every minor inconvenience would tear me down. Looking back on my first year, I would tell myself to try and find the small wins. As a first year many things are new, be proud of any success you have found this far and understand that mistakes will happen, use them to teach you how to be better and stronger rather than letting them slow you down.
What motivates you to keep pushing forward at this level?
A lot of my motivation comes from my family. I’m a first-generation college student and the first of my siblings to move away from home, so this opportunity means a lot to me. My parents made sacrifices to give me the chance to leave home and get a college education, and I carry that with me every day. When things get hard, I think about them and why I’m here, and that pushes me to keep going and make the most of every opportunity I’ve been given.
How did you stay grounded when expectations started to rise in your second year?
I try to stay grounded by going back to my personal goals and reminding myself who I play for. When expectations go up, it’s easy to overthink things or feel pressure from the outside, but I’ve learned that focusing on my “why” really helps. I think about the reasons I started playing and the goals I set for myself before the season even began. Remembering my family and the people who support me keeps everything in perspective and helps me stay present instead of getting overwhelmed.
How do you want teammates or coaches to describe you by the end of the season?
By the end of the season, I want my teammates and coaches to see me as someone who works hard and really looks out for the people around her. I want to be known as a teammate who shows up every day ready to compete, but also someone others can rely on. Whether that’s encouraging someone during a tough practice or doing the little things that help the team, I want my effort and attitude to stand out just as much as what I do on the field.
As Johnson prepares to enter her junior year, she reflects on how much she has grown since her freshman season. College soccer, she’s learned, is about more than minutes played or results on the scoreboard — it’s about perseverance, balance, and discovering who you are beyond the game. With each practice, match, and challenge, she continues to build confidence, strengthen her skills, and define the kind of teammate she wants to be. Guided by her goals and the support of her family, Johnson moves forward into her junior year with a renewed sense of purpose and determination, ready to take on the next chapter both on and off the field.
This story was produced in the Winter 2026 section of COMM206 – Multimedia Writing, a course in the Media Innovation curriculum at Southern Oregon University.
Interview and photo by Sierra Sam Fong
