Fort Wayne Canterbury High School

For Canterbury junior and volleyball standout Sophia Miller, reaching 1,000 career assists is an extraordinary athletic accomplishment. But for Sophia, the milestone represents something much bigger. It represents perseverance. It represents the countless days she showed up when she wasn't sure what her body would allow her to do. It represents the challenges she faced after being diagnosed with lupus at just 14 years old. And it represents her refusal to let an invisible illness take away the things she loves most—her education, her teammates, and volleyball. Sophia was diagnosed with lupus in May 2024 after spending five days at Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis. What began as pain in the joint of her right index finger during spring break quickly progressed into severe pain throughout her body, swollen joints, extreme fatigue and fever. Within weeks, Sophia struggled to bend her fingers, flex her wrists, lift her arms or move her knees, elbows and ankles. She was finishing eighth grade at the time and desperately wanted to continue attending school and experience the final celebrations of middle school. Despite being in constant pain and struggling to concentrate, she refused to miss class. Eventually, her symptoms became so severe that her mom had to lift her out of bed and help her get dressed each morning. She needed help in the shower because she couldn't lift her arms to wash her hair or body. “I was helpless, anxious and fearful,” Sophia wrote about that time. After numerous tests and appointments, Sophia and her mom made the two-hour trip to Riley, where doctors spent five days trying to understand what was happening. Her case was so unusual and severe that doctors brought in medical students to learn from her experience. The diagnosis brought answers, but it didn't bring an immediate end to the pain. For months, Sophia and her family traveled to Riley once or twice a month for lengthy appointments. She experienced complications from the disease and its inflammation, including extreme fatigue, anemia and problems with her vocal cords that required vocal therapy. Medication eventually helped control the inflammation, but it came with its own challenges. Sophia spent 22 months on prednisone, including periods of high doses and IV infusions. The medication caused rapid weight gain and significant muscle loss, and an MRI later showed osteonecrosis, an area of dying bone in her leg associated with the effects of the steroids. Through it all, Sophia was learning how to live with a disease that could change from day to day. And she was learning how much lupus could take away. She missed the end of her volleyball club season, travel softball season and her final season of middle school tennis. She missed time with friends. There were days when her hands and wrists were too painful and weak to open things at lunch. There were times when she had to ask friends not to bump into her or hug her because even light contact with her joints could be painful. Her voice was affected, too. Sometimes she would try to speak in class and nothing would come out. The hardest part, Sophia says, was that much of what she was experiencing was invisible. “People could think it's not that bad or didn't really believe what was going on,” she said. Learning to live with an invisible illness meant learning to speak up, ask for help and establish boundaries. It also meant learning to accept the care and support of the people around her. But through all of this, Sophia refused to let lupus take volleyball away from her. Volleyball has always brought her joy. When she entered Canterbury as a freshman, she and her teammates had ambitious goals for the program. She wanted to help bring a more competitive level of play to Canterbury volleyball, and she wasn't willing to let her diagnosis change that. Her first high school season was difficult. There were matches she was unable to play, and every practice and match came with a physical price. But her teammates and coaches stood beside her. They learned to recognize when she was struggling, even when Sophia herself was reluctant to admit it. They encouraged her to stop when she needed to and supported her throughout the difficult days. “I wasn't going to let my team down,” Sophia said. During her sophomore season, she never came out for a single point. That determination eventually helped lead to one of the most successful seasons in Canterbury volleyball history. Last season, Sophia helped lead the Cavaliers to the program's best record and its first sectional championship in many years. As the team's setter, Sophia has been at the center of the Cavaliers' offense throughout her career, creating opportunities for her teammates and helping set the tone on the court. Then, on August 15, she reached another milestone. Against Fremont, Sophia recorded her 1,000th career assist, becoming the first player in Canterbury volleyball history to reach the mark. She surpassed the previous school record of 681 assists, held by Gabi Zambrano, and now has 1,203 career assists. Even with a milestone that belongs in the school record books, Sophia is quick to point toward the teammates who helped make it possible. “While 1,000 assists is a big accomplishment for me, it really shows what we have been able to do as a team since our freshman season,” she said. “Assists only happen if I have a good pass from my defense, and have hitters that can score off my set, so it is truly a team effort!” Sophia's perspective reflects what she has learned throughout her journey. Hard work matters. Perseverance matters. And sometimes, success means simply continuing to show up. Today, Sophia's lupus is considered to be in remission based on her bloodwork. She continues to take multiple medications and two weekly injections to help control her immune response and joint pain. She still experiences joint pain flares, fatigue and brain fog, but she says she feels a world of difference this year compared with her first two seasons of high school volleyball. Her journey has also changed the way she views herself and the people around her. She has learned to advocate for herself. She has learned to ask for help. She has learned that setting boundaries is okay. She has learned endurance. And she has learned that everyone is on their own journey, even when you can't see what someone else may be experiencing. Perhaps most importantly, she has learned that she isn't alone. Sophia credits her Canterbury community as an important part of her journey. The school's smaller, family-oriented environment has allowed teachers and administrators to know her personally and understand that her needs can change from day to day. Mrs. Mower, in particular, has been an advocate for Sophia since her first day of high school, taking the time to learn more about lupus and helping her teachers understand what Sophia was experiencing. And that support has extended well beyond high school. Mrs. Myers, Sophia’s kindergarten teacher, heard about what Sophia was going through and took the time to mail her a care basket—a small but incredibly meaningful reminder that the people who have cared for Sophia throughout her time at Canterbury were still there for her. “I truly believe that the smaller, family-oriented environment where every teacher and administrator knows me by name and cares about me has been a difference maker,” Sophia said. Sophia also credits her faith with helping her navigate the uncertainty. That hasn't always been easy. As a Christian family, Sophia and her family were surrounded by prayer throughout her illness. But Sophia admits there were times when trusting God was difficult, especially when she didn't understand why she was still hurting or when the illness would end. Over time, however, the lessons began to take shape. At the beginning of her journey, Sophia heard people tell her that she was strong, that she was resilient and that God would use her experience for good. At the time, she didn't want to hear it. “I didn't want to need determination or be inspiring,” she said. “I just wanted to feel good.” Now, she sees things differently. She understands that resilience doesn't mean never struggling. Strength doesn't mean never asking for help. And faith doesn't mean having all the answers. It means continuing forward even when the answers aren't there. Sophia's next goal is already set: 2,000 career assists by the time she graduates next year. The number is ambitious, but for Sophia, it represents more than another athletic achievement. It is a reminder of how far she has come. It is proof that hard work and perseverance are part of who she is. And it is her way of reminding herself that lupus may be part of her story, but it will never be the whole story. “I’m stronger than lupus,” Sophia said. And with every practice, every match and every assist, Sophia Miller continues to prove it.