Moving away from your family is one of the tougher aspects of college for many students.
Arizona soccer freshman goalkeeper Sofia Cortes-Browne, however, passed that milestone years ago.
“Growing up in Canada, I moved away from home and my family when I was 13,” said the Ottawa, Ontario, native.
Arizona goalkeeper Sofia Cortes-Browne pulls down a cross as she warms up prior to the Wildcats’ game against visiting Kansas Thursday in Tucson.
“So I lived with the billet family,” a common feature across developmental sports like soccer, ice hockey and others that has teenage athletes with host families in new cities who provide room and board while they develop in their respective sport.
At 15, Cortes-Browne made her debut in the Canadian youth program; last month, she went to the U20 World Cup in Colombia, where Canada reached the Round of 16.
“I was invited to the U20 World Cup as an underager, and that was an amazing experience to be in Colombia and play against different international teams,” she said, “and just overall get to experience something like that was eye-opening.
Cortes-Browne
“Being able to bring that into this team and just like work on things to hopefully get invited again next in the next two years is my next goal. It’s something that I want to get to.”
Cortes-Browne said her favorite memory of the tournament was her team scoring first against Spain in the Round of 16. She said she jumped up and slipped on the ground because she was so excited when the team ran to the corner flag to celebrate.
“That was amazing,” Cortes-Browne said. “We knew that was gonna be a really big game for us, and just the energy and adrenaline that our whole team got from that was something that no one gets to experience.
“I’m just grateful to have been there.”
Cortes-Browne has seen limited playing time so far for the Wildcats, but she did play the second half of Arizona’s 1-0 win at Grand Canyon (11-4-1, 5-0 WAC) on Aug. 15, making a couple of saves. Then she played the second half of the UA’s 5-0 win over Pacific (2-12-1, 0-5 WCC) on Aug. 18
Then, after returning from the World Cup, she played the whole game in UA’s 1-0 loss at Houston (4-10-1, 1-8-0 Big 12) on Oct. 13. Cortes-Browne gave up her first goal in college but made a career-high five saves.
UA head coach Becca Moros said they were grateful she got that chance.
“Anytime you’re playing at that level and exposed to that level of training, that level of competition, that level of just intensity each and every day, I think it affects the way you approach everything you do,” Moros said. “So I’m sure it’s affected her in a big way, but you know I haven’t coached her that much prior to her being in with Canada.
“I think we’re just grateful that she has that opportunity and I know it’s a huge point of pride for her and a huge accomplishment so, I think it’s great for her,” she added.”
Cortes-Browne’s dad is from Mexico City, and her mom is from Omaha, Nebraska.
She is proud of her North American heritage.
“I felt like it was good to have the ability to speak different languages,” Cortes-Browne said. “In Canada, the second language is French, so being able to speak three languages at once — maybe not French fluently, but still be able to understand it — has been something that’s been really great for me, because I’m able to talk to so many people about different things.”
Arizona goalkeeper Olivia Ramey drags down a looping shot over Kansas forward Shea Ryan late in the second half of the Wildcats’ Big 12 matchup with the Jayhawks last week.
Cortes-Browne said playing with older kids and developing in the Canadian system helped her leadership abilities and confidence grow.
Although she and the UA’s No. 1 goalkeeper this season, junior Olivia Ramey, have competed against each other, it’s a friendly rivalry.
“I think me and Liv, we’ve been back and forth fighting a lot for that starting position and she’s definitely taken that role really well and she’s been super successful with the team so far,” Cortes-Browne said. “She’s taking me under her wing and she’s been a really good mentor and helping me be better as a goalkeeper as well.
“So being someone who’s great as her and just also growing with her has been a great opportunity,” she added.
