Fighting with Passion: Mollie Donahoe Reflects on Her Soccer Career

After clinching her second straight state championship, standout striker Mollie Donahoe looks back on the lifelong passion that fueled her success.

"I hope I never forget the relationships I made. This wasn't just a soccer team; it was a second family, and I hope I keep the memories I made with this team forever," said Mollie.

The senior led the Northland Preparatory Academy Girls Soccer Team to their sixth state title victory in the last seven seasons. However, Mollie's journey with the team traces back to her childhood.

"I've been coaching Mollie since she was about ten, actually younger than that. I've been coaching Lizzy and Mollie since the very beginning," said Coach Michael Blair, who has worked with Mollie for almost a decade.

According to Blair, even as a young player, Mollie stood out for her unrelenting drive.

"Mollie always fights, fights, fights battles, plays hard, plays her guts out," he remarked.

And while Mollie may be fierce on the pitch, she admits soccer is also where she finds peace.

"What I like most about soccer is that it provides an escape," she said, adding that she tries to live her life by a saying from Michael Franti: 'Just work hard and be kind to people.”

Channeling Enthusiasm

However, passion alone wasn't enough to sustain excellence. Mollie and Blair both acknowledged the need to evolve strategically over her high school career.

As Blair explained, "Mollie plays hard. She plays so hard that she sometimes runs herself into the ground. As a senior, she learned how to use that energy more efficiently and effectively."

Mollie agreed that confidence has been one of her biggest personal challenges. "One of the things I've had to work on overcoming is confidence when I'm on the field. I've had to learn to trust myself," she admitted.

This year, the striker consciously focused on lifting her younger teammates. Blair recalled how Mollie and co-captain Kyra Wilkens met with freshmen players before the championship game.

"Before the big game, she and Kyra Wilkens took the freshman aside and said, hey, guys, we got the pressure. We'll take the pressure off, so you just go out there and do your thing and have fun, and we'll carry us through. So that was pretty big that they knew to do that after all these years," said Blair.

By setting an example as a leader, Mollie helped secure the state title that had eluded her for so long.

"She finally scored in a state championship game on the fourth one, which was kind of a big monkey off her back. She did everything we asked, was always there for the team, and was willing to do whatever it took," her coach said proudly.

In addition to her soccer chops that earned her AIA Conference Offensive Player of the Year this season, Mollie is also a scholar athlete. She maintained a GPA above 4.00 for all four years at Northland Prep and is currently serving as secretary for the school’s National Honor Society.

Looking Ahead

As her high school soccer days come to an end, Mollie has her sights set on the future while carrying valuable lessons with her.

“I hope I never forget the relationships I made,” Molly said. “This wasn’t just a soccer team, it was a second family, and I hope I keep the memories I made with this team forever.

“This season, I learned that I am my biggest critic. I often get in my own way, but I also learned how to overcome this. I must push negative thoughts aside to be the best I can be.

“This win and season meant so much to me. It was an amazing end to my high school career. I wouldn’t change anything,” she said.

Meanwhile, Blair expressed excitement at what the passionate athlete could accomplish by channeling her energy into new passions beyond soccer.

"Mollie has so much great passion, and I hope she finds someplace to put that passion," Blair said. "She's a 100-percent, all-in kid. And so, it'll be fun to see, when she's really passionate about something, what amazing things she can do."

In the words of Mollie Donahoe:

"What I like most about soccer is that it provides an escape."
"One of the things I've had to work on overcoming is confidence when I'm on the field. I've had to learn to trust myself."
"Hey, guys, we got the pressure. We'll take the pressure off, so you just go out there and do your thing and have fun, and we'll carry us through."
"The saying I like to live my life by is by Michael Franti: 'Just work hard and be kind to people.'"
“I hope I never forget the relationships I made. This wasn’t just a soccer team, it was a second family, and I hope I keep the memories I made with this team forever.”
“ I must push negative thoughts aside to be the best I can be.”

In the words of Coach Michael Blair:

"Mollie always fights, fights, fights battles, plays hard, plays her guts out."
"Mollie plays hard. She plays so hard that she sometimes runs herself into the ground. As a senior, she learned how to use that energy more efficiently and effectively."
"Mollie has so much great passion, and I hope she finds someplace to put that passion. She's a 100-percent, all-in kid. And so, it'll be fun to see, when she's really passionate about something, what amazing things she can do."

In Summary:

Mollie Donahoe is a driven and passionate soccer player who has contributed enormously to her team's success. While known for her intense playing style and energy, she has evolved strategically under Coach Blair's mentorship to become a more confident, uplifting leader. As Mollie's high school career comes to an end, her future is bright with possibility thanks to the life lessons the sport has instilled in her: work hard, be kind, and above all, believe in yourself. This focused and spirited athlete is ready to excel wherever her passion takes her next.