Jan. 18, 2006
Amaechi Igwe is a freshman at Santa Clara University and will play a major part of the Bronco men's soccer team's success next fall. The Belmont, Calif. native enrolled at SCU for the winter quarter and will train with the team this spring.
SantaClaraBroncos.com caught up with Amaechi for a few quick questions.
Q: Why did you choose Santa Clara?
A: "The main reason is because of the great soccer program and coaches who I know will make me grow not only as a player but an individual off the field. I've known coaches Rast and Yamamoto for about four or five years and it definitely helps to have coaches with experience, who I can trust will push me to the next level. Along with the soccer comes the great business program because my future ambitions are to start and run my own business. Lastly, but definitely not least, is the fact that I've been away for two years and Santa Clara is pretty close to home. So, I get to make up for the time lost with my friends and family. My brother attends SCU, my sister is close at Berkeley and my parents and the rest of my family and friends are only about a 30 to 45 minute drive away."
Q: What are the advantages of enrolling prior to the winter quarter before your first season next fall?
A: "There are many advantages enrolling in the winter. From purely a soccer standpoint, rather than taking a semester off, I can come to training, stay fit and in good form. It also gives me more time to get to know the team's and individuals' style and where I can best fit in. With school, I can get some of the more difficult classes out of the way so when season comes there is no added stress due to my class schedule. It is also a really good time to meet people and have fun because I know the preseason and season schedules will be more strict with fewer days off."
Q: Can you describe your experiences with the U.S. National Team?
A: "It was with no doubt the best experience of my life. Playing, going to school and living everyday for two years with the best players in the country. Competing on international soil and across America in such places as Brazil, Ireland, Holland, Belguim, Peru, Costa Rica, Paraguay and about ten different states. Playing against a variety of household names like Brazil, Mexico, Italy, China, Ivory Coast, Sweden, Belguim, Scotland Ajax, PSV and many college teams. Competing in the best stadiums around the world in front of thousands of spectators and doing all this with forty of your closest friends. It was basically any soccer player's dream."