As a member of the freshman soccer team, Andrew Schaffer ’20 brings his wealth of experience from playing overseas to the Bellarmine soccer field.
This soccer enthusiast grew up in Asia, which significantly impacted his outlook towards the sport. Andrew began playing soccer at six years old and has since played for teams in the Philippines, Taiwan, and Spain, each of which were unique and highly competitive, according to Schaffer. “I’d like to think that over time I gained some experience from each and every team I’ve played for,” Schaffer said.
Schaffer not only supports his team physically, but his teammates also cherish his ecstatic and humorous personality. Teammate JP Gutierrez ’20 explained how Andrew is the comedian on the team. “He’s funny and something about that is the kind of positive reinforcement the team almost needs sometimes,” Gutierrez said. Many players added on to that, describing him as the one to “lighten up the mood” and make sure soccer is as fun as it is serious.
Andrew believes he has learned a lot from playing soccer over time, especially during his current freshman season. Not only was he able to improve on skills he lacked on the field, but he also discovered the importance of team effort. “The incoming class of freshmen hoping to be on the team for next year or even players preparing for JV or Varsity should try and play their best. But also, don’t do too much to [put too much pressure on] yourself,” said Schaffer. “The most important thing to have is a good attitude and pass it along to the rest of your teammates.”