Lakes senior midfielder Mia Silver is not an athlete who skates.
Before playing soccer, Silver learned a lot about dedication as a figure skater.
“I was very good at it,” she said. “I was skating in a ranked skating program with girls who were 3 or 4 years older. I was at the rink every day. In addition to private lessons three or four times a week. , I took group lessons and then a few years of free stakes to practice my skills and off-rink classes like ballet.”
Silver was also having fun.
“It was definitely a lot of fun,” she said. “I liked the costumes and the pomp. At the end of the day, it wasn't a sport for me. I ended up quitting. I chose soccer because I wanted to be part of a team.”
Silver instead strived to excel in the sport and was successful. A high-level club soccer player, Winthrop recruit led last year's Northern Lake County Conference champion Eagles with eight goals and eight assists and is a three-time all-conference selection.
Lakes coach Kevin Calvey said Silver is a rare elite player in his program and also an effective leader with an unselfish attitude that sets her apart.
“She has great dribbling moves and is very good at beating players one-on-one,” Calvey said. “She’s very good at setting up her teammates.
“She's a competitor and doesn't get upset when things don't go her way. She adjusts her game and thinks about what she should do to play better during a match.”
As a former figure skater, Silver believes there are physical advantages as well.
“The skills and training I did for skating gave me better balance and flexibility and increased verticality,” she said.
Silver's father, Ken, agreed that her figure skating background has helped her.
“I think it gave her core strength,” Ken Silver said. “It really helped her. I also don't think she burned out on soccer as quickly as other kids. But figure skating, unlike other sports, is somewhat subjective in many ways. It was hard for us because we were so busy. We couldn't see the goal numbers or the scoreboard. Even just one minute of it was hard training.”
Ken Silver said his family supported Mia's decision to switch to sports. Her younger sister Anya followed the same path and she is a freshman for the Eagles (2-1).
“(Mia) had a dream of playing soccer at the highest level,” Ken Silver said. “She didn't have that inclination, but she's a really good example of someone who strives to achieve anything.”
Before Mia Silver plays at the next level, she wants to help the Lakes become conference champions again. She suffered a sprained ankle in the fall that sidelined her until January, and she was concerned that her senior season would be affected. However, she has three goals and five assists in just three games.
“I put a lot of effort into improving my shooting accuracy and improving my technique with the ball,” Silver said. “Since my junior year, I've wanted to become a better version of myself overall. I feel like I've done that through my leadership and technical ability. I've become more well-rounded in almost every area. I did.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
