Ben Brophy joins One Knox SC after his record-breaking, title-winning Hardin Valley season

A familiar face from Knoxville's thriving youth soccer scene is jumping straight to the city's professional ranks, as forward Ben Brophy has signed a contract with One Knox SC just weeks after leading his Hardin Valley Academy squad to its first Class 3A championship since 2011.

The transition to the pros has been "mind-blowing," said Brophy, who netted the winning goal for Hardin Valley in the 77th minute on May 23 to secure a 4-3 victory and the championship. The score also made him Hardin Valley's all-time leader in goals with 80, adding to an impressive on-field portfolio that led to him being named the Knox News PrepXtra boys soccer player of the year. and the 5Star Preps boys soccer player of the year.

Brophy previously played for Two Knox, One Knox's local academy team, which came with sporadic practice time alongside the main roster and helped him forge a pathway to the pros. Following Hardin Valley’s championship season, he was invited to practice permanently with the professional squad and earned his pro contract.

"I just worked as hard as I could, and it paid off, so it's amazing," Brophy told Knox News.

Hardin Valley coach compliments 'finishing attitude' of Ben Brophy

Hardin Valley coach Ray Dover often spoke of the forward’s unique "finishing attitude" of approaching every shot with the conviction it will find the net.

"He feels like when he's hitting a shot, it's going in," Dover said. "He's not hoping it's going in, he's knowing it's going in."

Dover highlighted Brophy’s exceptional "game IQ" and his subtle, effective movements off the ball that makes it "look easy on the back end ... before the ball goes in the goal."

The transition from high school to pro soccer has presented immediate challenges, primarily in the speed and physicality of play. Brophy quickly observed the stark differences.

"You can't take your time with the ball," he said. "If you touch it, there's going to be someone on you."

A mental adjustment is required, he said, as players must know what they're going to do "five seconds before you get the ball," Brophy said. Dover has witnessed Brophy's development firsthand and knows his skills are strong enough to compete against seasoned pros "without falling off or being intimidated."

"He's not going to back off of any circumstances or be afraid or come into a situation and be like, 'Oh my gosh, I don't know if I can do this.'" Dover said. "I think Ben's confidence is that he knows he can handle it, and that's key."

One Knox SC forward Ben Brophy credits Hardin Valley for development

Dover described Brophy as a "kind soul" in the locker room, which went a long way as a leader in establishing camaraderie and finding championship success at Hardin Valley. In return, Brophy credits Hardin Valley for preparing him to take the next step in his career.

"It's a great program, and the coaching and the team − we were family," Brophy said. "I felt like that made us a better team total because we were always on the same page. ... That season made me better and more confident, and it led me to be here. So, I'm grateful for that."

One Knoxville SC returns to Covenant Health Park at 7 p.m. July 30 for a match against Charlotte Independence. The team's second home game of the week is Aug. 2, another 7 p.m. match against Portland Hearts of Pine in downtown Knoxville.

Knox News reporter Gabriel Jackson covers the Knoxville Smokies and One Knox SC. Email: [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Hardin Valley state champion forward Brophy joins One Knoxville soccer