Sophia Smith, who made her debut at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup on Friday 21 July, was born to parents Mollie Smith and Kenny Smith. Who are they? Are they still married? Where do they live?
Read all about them in the article below.
Who are soccer star Sophia Smith’s parents?
Sophia Smith, a famous soccer player, is the daughter of Mollie and Kenny Smith. The Smiths had children before Sophia was born. However, they were confused about their youngest daughter as she grew up. Every morning before school, she made her bed, sorted her shoe collection, and arranged her toys in order of size.
Sophia started playing soccer because her older sisters played, and she spent much of her childhood trying to emulate them. Sophia had to wait a few seasons before she was ready to play because Gabrielle and Savannah were four and five years older than her. However, those years on the sidelines were crucial. Sophia watched the game during the game but would kick the ball around with her younger siblings after halftime.
In high school, Gabrielle and Savannah stopped playing soccer, but this time, Sophia didn’t. “We all realized pretty quickly that this is what I’m good at and this is what I love more than anything else,” Sophia said. “This is what I’m meant to do.”
When Sophia was in first grade, her coaches would reward their players with stickers when they learned a new skill. She amassed quite a collection, but Sophia wasn’t motivated by rewards. When Mollie or Kenny came home from practice, she would drag them into the backyard. Eventually, they had to buy Mollie a rebound net so she wouldn’t get hurt again.
“It was horrible playing goalie against her,” Mollie said. “I had to duck all the time, because every time I put my hand or arm out I would hurt it.”
At 12, she told her parents she needed to quit her local club and drive three hours round trip every day to play for Real Colorado. It was a sacrifice for everyone. For Sophia, it meant leaving school early to avoid rush hour and putting her organizational skills to good use to keep up with her car workouts.
Mollie has a new job that allows her the flexibility to drive Sophia to and from practice. The team practices four or five times a week — not enough for Sophia, who often coaxes Kenny or Mollie to drive her on her days off for extra practice.
“I will never complain,” Mollie recalled her saying. “I will never complain once. Can I go down there and play soccer?”
“She understood the commitment,” Mollie said. “And she never complained.”
Meet Mollie Smith, Mother of Sophia Smith
Sophia Smith’s mother’s name is Mollie Smith. In a November 2016 IG post, the soccer star wrote on her IG that she is “grateful for so many things in this world, especially my beautiful mother.”
Mollie Smith is 54 years old as of 2023. Her birth year is 1969 and her birth month is April.
Mollie Smith has never revealed her job. However, in an interview, Mollie shared that she quit her job of 20 years to take a job that gave her the time to commit to the three-hour round trip to make sure Sophia got her workout every day.
“Up until she was 11, she played in northern Colorado, but I think around that time, she was the one who came to us and said she thought she wanted something more,” Mollie explained in an interview. “So we went to Real Colorado and she played with them for a week and decided that was what she wanted to do.”
“I remember thinking, ‘If we decide to go to Denver, she better not complain once about the trip.’ And she never complained once! There were times when we were stuck in traffic, taking two and a half hours to get to practice. She never complained. She thanked us probably every day, She was so grateful that I probably did anything.”
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Does Mollie Smith use Facebook?
Yes, Mollie Smith is on Facebook but there are no posts on her personal page.
Meet Kenny Smith, Sophia Smith’s Father
Kenny Smith is Sophia Smith’s father. In an interview with CPR, Kenny told the news outlet that when Sophie was six years old, he knew his daughter would become a special soccer player. He said, “She used to play on a little three-on-three soccer team, and I saw in her determination and willpower, and she had some athletic ability that a lot of other kids didn’t have. Even at that stage in her life, she wanted to be the best player on the field.”
Born in May 1968, Kenny Smith is 55 years old this year.
A LinkedIn found online states that Kenny Smith played football at the University of Wyoming,
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Does Kenny Smith use Facebook?
No, Kenny Smith is not on Facebook.
Related FAQs
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Are Sophia Smith’s parents still married?
Yes, as of 2023, Sophia Smith’s parents are still married.
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How many children do Sophia Smith’s parents have?
In addition to Sophia, Kenny and Mollie Smith also have an older daughter named Gabrielle Smith.
Gabrielle turns 28 in March 2023. She attended Fossil Ridge High School and the University of Northern Colorado. She currently works at Nike Factory Outlet and Billie Martinez Elementary School.
Gabrielle got married on July 18, 2020.
Kenny and Mollie’s other daughter is Savannah Smith. She is the director of creative strategy and basketball operations at UNC. She previously served as a graduate manager for the team, completing her MBA in the spring of 2021.
During her playing career as a Bear, Savannah was named the Big Sky Most Valuable Player for the 2017-18 season and was a three-time Big Sky All-Star selection. She was named the 2018 Big Sky Tournament Most Valuable Player, leading UNC to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. During the Big Sky Tournament, Savannah broke the scoring record with 78 points in three games. She was named the 2018 Colorado Female Athlete of the Year.
Savannah is 27 years old.
While Gabrielle lives near her parents, Savannah lives in California.
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Where do Sophia Smith’s parents live?
Kenny and Mollie Smith still live in the same house in Windsor, Colorado where Sophia and her two sisters grew up. Kenny and Mollie always have Sophia’s room ready in Windsor. Whenever she wants to come home, the room is there, just as she left it. As she gets older, she changes rooms often. Her passion for interior design grew from hours spent playing “The Sims” with Gabrielle and Savannah, and Sophia always has new ideas for her room.