Room to Grow
Big dreams require big commitments, and no one is more driven to achieve his goals than William Sohl. Born in Parkland and dribbling a basketball since he could walk, his days revolve around practice, practice, practice. When he’s not practicing, he’s eating cool ranch Doritos while watching and analyzing games, or playing hoops with an amazing team that he has grown to appreciate.
Just 14 years old, William has already achieved the height of 6’4”, and his mother, Heather, tells us that the doctor has opined that he is not even close to his adult height. “The doctor says his growth plates are wide open and ready to get busy. We have no idea how tall this boy is going to get!“ Having a father (local real estate agent with his own team, Bill Sohl) who is 6’ 8” may be a precursor to William’s larger than expected height. No shrinking violet herself, Heather is 5’11”, her daughter Brooke, 12, is 6’2”, and William’s twin, Logan, is 5’10.”
Heather giggles as she describes going through airports or into restaurants when people realize how tall their entire family is. “We think it’s funny, but it seems like people look at us like a circus sideshow. We were recently running through an airport and we could see people whispering, ‘Look how tall that family is!’”
Home educated with a 4.0 GPA, William also attends classes at Cedar Church for a day and a half a week. Currently on the JV team for Parkridge Christian Academy, he also plays power forward or center for the KT Kings, an AAU travel team in Fort Lauderdale.
His coach, Steve Allen, makes sure to keep the boys on the team involved in community happenings. During this past holiday season, they got involved with food and toy drives, with an opportunity to spend time together off the court, making a difference for others.
William says that his strong points on the court are his communication with his teammates and defense. Mom says, “He’s a very good communicator. He’s great at reading the court and lets his teammates know where people are going. He’s very good at directing.“
William is excited to keep playing and studying his favorite game, with an end goal of obtaining a full ride scholarship to a D1 school and, afterward, having the opportunity at a professional career. At this time, his favorite players are Nikola Jokic and Kevin Durant because, he says, “They are both great at the positions they play.“
William and his family attend chapel at Riverside Church.