From left: Sachiel Ming ’24, Mitchell Baker ’25, and Leon Brody ’24. Photo: Machai Davis ’25.
Sachiel Ming ‘24, Mitchell Baker ‘25, and Leon Brody ‘24 are the most recent soccer team players to commit to attend universities and play soccer. The work these young men put in the classroom and on the soccer pitch to pursue their dreams is nothing short of inspiring.
Sachiel Ming ’24 is a senior from Bermuda and has been at Northwood since his sophomore year. In his first year at Northwood, Sachiel played for the U17 team under Coach Martinez. Sachiel thrived on the U17 team, scoring over 15 goals. In his junior year, he moved up to the U19s and was a vital player on that squad.
Before coming to Northwood, Sachiel played in Bermuda for a local team that wasn’t as competitive as he would have liked. Sachiel decided to come to America to further his academic and athletic career. Sachiel committed to the Division 1 National Champions, Syracuse University, within the first week of his senior year. “I am very excited and grateful for this opportunity,” Ming said. A crucial part of Northwood and Black Rock FC since he arrived, Ming has built a phenomenal reputation within the community and has a bright future ahead of him.
Mitchell Baker ’25 is a junior from Australia who has been at Northwood since ninth grade. Mitch played for Coach Martinez’s U17 team for his first two years and recently joined the U19 with Coach Moodey. In Australia, Mitch played for Melbourne Victory FC before Northwood. When Mitch arrived, he was a center-back, and after the first game, he transitioned to striker. “It was very hard changing position, and I failed time and time again,” Baker said. Without the failure Mitch had to overcome, he would not be the man and striker he is today. In Mitch’s Northwood career, he has scored 76 goals and hopes to break 100 this year. He said, “I wouldn’t have scored these goals without all my coaches and teammates who constantly push me.” Mitch also takes academics very seriously. “Sometimes I had to stay in my room and sacrifice some of my time with my friends to finish work or to study.” This level of motivation has paid off with a commitment to Georgetown University.
Lastly, Leon Brody ’24 is a senior from Montreal, Canada. He is currently in his second year at Northwood. Leon has been part of Northwood U19 since he arrived and brings a unique energy to the team that is out of this world. He continues to positively impact the community; he is a natural-born leader, and that has given him an offer from his dream school, Middlebury College. Leon committed to Division 3 powerhouse Middlebury over the summer. “I am extremely excited to go to Middlebury,” Brody said.
