Ethan Schaefer '24 Recruiting Profile

I have loved soccer since I started playing on a recreational team at the age of 3 and spent most days of my childhood playing pickup soccer with friends at school and in our yards. Since then, I’ve worked hard to put myself on the best path to play soccer at the highest level by trying out for and being asked to join the Sporting KC Academy as a U14. While my goal as a member of the Sporting KC Academy is to play soccer professionally, I am also preparing for a collegiate soccer pathway while also obtaining an education to prepare myself for a career off the pitch. Aside from soccer, the subjects that captivate me the most are cosmology (cosmological study of astronomy) and creative writing. I’m interested in marketing and communications in the field of cosmology and the future of science. I am also fluent in French after spending K-8th grades in an immersive French public charter school.

I have been fortunate to have been exposed to many styles of play and encouraged to pursue high levels of play through a lineage of coaches with MLS, EPL, Scottish and French league experience.  Coaches have consistently provided positive feedback on my coachability, soccer IQ and natural abilities. I’m keen at seeing the pitch and making the best play possible with what I see or being able to create the play.  One of my strongest attributes lies in my ability to play and excel in any of the three lines of play. I have been able to thrive as a midfielder, winger, or fullback the past four years. I can anticipate the play well before it has happened which helps me to move off the ball very effectively. Athletically, I have a recorded top speed of 9.2 m/s and MAS of 5.0 and hold the top score for the Bronco fitness test in the academy for the past three years (PR 4:21). In addition, I thrive in new and dynamic environments, which lends to my coachability. As a U17 with Sporting KC, Coach Benny Feilhaber would call me his ‘robot’ because I could execute what was needed in crucial parts of games in any position he needed. I feel pride in helping my team through difficult situations and being flexible to execute what’s needed in multiple positions.

In addition to skill, I am resilient and have the grit to cope with adversity. I was treated for osteochondritis dissecans when I was 10 and suffered an avulsion fracture of my pelvis during a game when I was 14. These events were challenging both physically and mentally and required extended time out of play for healing and recovery, but my desire to compete drove me to get back to it. I balance an intense soccer and school regimen with recreational activities like golf, skiing, ping pong and pickleball.