Moving into web is not any stretch for Sophie Marino.
The star of Lengthy Seaside’s gymnastics squad is doing a spectacular break up this winter — concurrently taking part in goalie for the 12-win Marines boys varsity hockey group that’s on hearth in 2026.
“Gymnastics taught me energy, endurance, and being fearless,” Marino informed The Submit.
“While you rise up on the beam and must do a backflip, you’ll be able to’t be scared … that interprets right here. When somebody shoots a puck, I don’t get scared. I’m like, ‘You realize what? This can be enjoyable, I’ll make a save.’ ”
The twin-sport senior, whose brother, Matt, protected the pipes at Lengthy Seaside in 2023 earlier than graduating, seen the Marines had no backup on the roster throughout a December 2024 recreation.
“Jokingly, he was like, ‘Why don’t you attempt?’ I used to be like, ‘Haha, very humorous.’ Then I considered it, and I used to be like, ‘You realize what? It seems to be like a variety of enjoyable,’ ” she stated.
“I acquired my brother’s previous gear, and I simply tried to get on the ice as a lot as doable,” added the 17-year-old goaltender.
Ice in her veins
She may solely “get from level A to level B” on skates at first, however took a crash course in early 2025 to be prepared for her one-time likelihood to play earlier than graduating.
“I can’t consider the place she’s at now,” head coach Rob Carson stated.
Matt additionally put his little sis by goalie boot camp so she can be battle-tested when it got here time to take the crease as a varsity participant — the group’s solely feminine member.
“He was nonstop messaging me, ‘Sophie’s taking part in. Sophie’s prepared. I’ve been taking pictures on her. She’s prepared. She’s getting good,’ ” Carson stated.
“She’s the toughest employee throughout apply — and the youngsters feed off that. They see that she didn’t have that upbringing like most of them did, the place they have been skating once they’re 5 years previous.”
Marino, a diehard Islanders fan who now research goalie Ilya Sorokin (when not targeted on her heartthrob, Matthew Schaefer), brings greater than only a fierce gymnast mentality to the hockey group.
“The pliability and the endurance got here simply to me,” stated Marino, who added that Matt helped with reflex and hand-eye abilities.
She took his previous No. 32 out of affection and noticed motion early within the group’s marketing campaign.
A blossoming butterfly
Carson first referred to as Marino in to play — with a snug lead — within the third interval in opposition to Bethpage for trial by hearth on the ice.
Though slapshots don’t make her flinch, the stress definitely did at first.
“I used to be terrified,” stated Marino, who was sweating with nerves on the frozen floor.
Beginning goaltender Justin Mele may inform the tense second could possibly be lower with a skate blade, so he made a sort gesture to assist Marino heat as much as take her thoughts off the second.
“I calmed down, and I went on the market, and I simply performed. One child had a extremely good shot, and I saved it. So it was actually cool,” she stated.
Her subsequent name to the online wasn’t just like the 13-0 blowout win for the Marines, although.
Marino wanted to start out in opposition to Half Hole Hills when Mele was injured.
She was as soon as once more “terrified,” however your complete Marines squad stepped up once more to spice up the brand new participant’s confidence.
“Once we first acquired on the ice, they often don’t come over, however all the blokes did, and so they huddled up with me, which is de facto superior,” she recalled.
“After the primary shot, I used to be similar to, ‘You realize what? It’s OK, it’ll be fantastic.’ ”
Marino stood the take a look at — and stopped an “superior” breakaway within the third whereas tied — as Lengthy Seaside introduced residence an exciting, last-minute 6-5 victory, which Mele stated “she actually did her finest” in.
“I used to be really very pleased with her,” added the starter.
The 12-2-1 bunch clinched a prime playoff spot with one regular-season recreation remaining, whereas Marino, who does vault, bars, beam, and flooring occasions, earned a spot in February’s gymnastics state qualifiers as nicely.
Stability may as nicely be her center title.
“There was one time after I had a gymnastics meet, after which I left straight away and went straight to the hockey recreation — and we gained each, which is de facto cool,” she stated.
“When you informed me I used to be going to be on the boys hockey group … began, and we might have gained — whereas doing varsity gymnastics on the identical time, I’d say ‘No means, you’re mendacity.’ ”
