By Maya Ekladious
The stadium shakes in fear, expecting that massive opposing corner kick to sail into the net. But senior Nylah Mirshafiei steps in and calmly collects the shot, proving once again that she’s able to prevent the opposing team’s ball from crossing the goal line.
Mirshafiei continued her family’s soccer legacy at the young age of six; she started playing club soccer a few years later and eventually joined the Southern California Blues (So Cal Blues) during her sophomore year.
“Soccer has always been in our family. My brother started playing at a very young age too. Unfortunately, my brother had to quit due to medical issues, so I just kept playing for him,” Mirshafiei said.
Mirshafiei joined Fountain Valley High School’s (FVHS) girls’ soccer team as a freshman and quickly became a target for colleges by her sophomore year.
Looking back at her high school years playing girls’ soccer as goalkeeper and captain of the soccer team, Mirshafiei takes pride in winning the league with her ECNL and So Cal Blues team in her junior year.
In December of her senior year, Mirshafiei’s hard work, dedication and most importantly team spirit led her to commit to California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB), an NCAA Division II University that takes part in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.
“I committed to CSUMB because they made a really good offer. CSUMB’s coaching staff is one of the best ones I’ve met so far. Their program really focuses on team chemistry which helps a lot in moving forward in their own league [California Collegiate Athletic Association],” she said.
Although Mirshafiei faced some challenges throughout her journey, her love for soccer and resilience pushed her to overcome those obstacles.
“For my position, goalkeeper, you have to be a relatively tall player, and being at 5’7, I stand at a disadvantage,” Mirshafiei said. “So I had to build my skills such as increasing my vertical jump and excelling in areas that maybe a player who is 5’11 wouldn’t have to work on necessarily.”
Mirhsafiei looks forward to attending CSUMB in the upcoming fall; she not only hopes to further her soccer career but also to keep her academic work ethic strong as she aims for veterinary school.
“I hope to stay with CSUMB; I’m going in as a second-string keeper to their current junior keeper. I hope to get a lot of minutes and eventually become the starter by my sophomore year,” she said. “Academically, I’m going to be majoring in Biology and Environmental Science, so it’s going to be tough as a STEM major and a collegiate athlete… I look forward to working hard and eventually going to vet school.”
Finally, although their soccer season ended, Mirshafiei is excited for the soccer banquet and saying goodbye to her FVHS team, who form a huge part of her love for the sport.
“My favorite part about soccer is definitely the support your team gives you… I always love the moments that are shared by a team, especially those little high-fives you get when you save a massive corner ball that was definitely going to go in,” Mirshafiei said.
