Denver Summit FC's Janine Sonis reflects on returning home, opportunity to bring championship to Denver
For Denver Summit FC's Janine Sonis, returning home to Colorado is a dream come true.
"I'm still pinching myself," said Sonis, who grew up in Highlands Ranch and attended Valor Christian High School. "It's such a breath of fresh air, and I'm just really excited to be here."
She had been following the potential of the expansion team before Denver received the bid and recalls seeing the official announcement on Instagram.
"I think I saw like a post, and I was like, Oh, man. Like, I've gotta get there."
Sonis was still under contract in Louisville at the time, but it was important she joined the team for its inaugural season. It was Christmas time when she got the news she was going to be able to get out of her contract and join Summit FC.
So, I was in Louisville, Kentucky, at the time. Really enjoyed my time there, and I was in the middle of my contract
"It was the best Christmas present I could ask for," said Sonis. "What's so cool is that we're building this from ground zero," she added.
Sonis has traveled the world playing professional soccer and is still a part of the Canada Women's National Team. Aside from the experiences she gained on the pitch, Sonis also picked up a sophisticated taste for good coffee.
"I'm a bit of a coffee snob," Sonis admits.
And she's taking that passion and turning it into an entrepreneurial opportunity by establishing a coffee brand, 90Brew, with the goal of eventually opening up a coffee shop in Denver.
"It comes from an idea of 90 obviously, being related to soccer and our love for the game and the way that coffee brings people together. And I also just love the caffeine that you get from it as well."
Sonis has her sights set on big goals both on and off the pitch. She's already won Olympic Gold, and an NWSL Championship.
What's next could be even greater.
"I want to win a World Cup. I think that that's what every international player aspires to. It's coming up quick next summer. I'd love to add another gold medal to the cabinet as well, but really, I want to bring a championship to Denver. I speak for my teammates when I say it's so important to us to represent that name, and be able to perform and represent Colorado, and then to bring a championship here would be just another dream come true. So, fingers crossed, this can be the year."
