Norwalk’s Magnusen Leads NCCS Girls’ Soccer to Victory

Ninth grader Audrey Magnusen of Norwalk led the New Canaan Country School varsity girls’ soccer team to an undefeated season this fall—a season characterized by Coach Sean Robb as “delirious and deluge-ional!”

Unanimously chosen by her teammates as co-captain, Audrey has been on the varsity team (Grades 7-9) all three years. Coach Robb describes her as “a skillful and elegant player who is a fierce competitor and fearless on the field.”

Audrey scored two goals and had four assists this season. “Audrey is the kind of player who creates opportunities with her passes and runs all over the field to close down and defend,” says Coach Robb. This was especially true at the team’s final game with Greenwich Country Day School, with whom the team has an intense rivalry. “She was everywhere,” says Robb.

“It was pouring rain, freezing cold, yet I was so determined,” says Audrey. “Those are the games you remember.”  New Canaan Country School won 1-0.

For Audrey, the experience of being captain has been transformative. “I’ve always loved being on a team, but suddenly, as captain, my focus was truly on all my teammates. You really start thinking beyond yourself and checking in with everyone. We developed such a tight-knit bond.”

“Audrey leads by example, in her own understated way,” says Coach Robb. “No one is better at making her teammates feel included.”

Coach Robb recalls one game in particular when Audrey demonstrated her leadership. “The opposing team had scored a goal and Audrey, not me, called everyone in for a huddle. I still don’t know what she said, but she wasn’t going to the let her team lose confidence, and they didn’t.”  

Audrey has been playing soccer since she was three and her first memories are of sitting on the soccer field. “My dad is from Ghana and he is a huge soccer fan. There was no way I wasn’t going to play,” she says with a smile.

At Country School, Audrey started playing soccer in 5^th grade.  Over the years, she has also played on several club teams. This year, in addition to the school’s team, Audrey competes year-round with Everton America, a soccer club based in Norwalk. She also plays basketball on the school team in winter and tennis competitively outside of school in the spring.

Audrey has appreciated being an athlete at Country School. “It’s not just about winning games here. Your coaches want you to improve as much as you can. They care about you as an athlete, a student and a person.”

New Canaan Country School is a co-ed, independent, day school for students in Pre-K (ages 3&4) through Grade 9. Located at 635 Frogtown Road in New Canaan, the school provides bus transportation to families living throughout Fairfield County and Westchester County. For more information, please visit www.countryschool.net.