Sandro Weber
| Sport | Soccer |
| Position | Midfield |
| University | George Washington University |
| Major | Masters in Sports Management |
| Sport | Soccer |
| Position | Midfield |
| University | George Washington University |
| Major | Masters in Sports Management |
For me, soccer has always been much more than just a hobby. This led to the dream of combining soccer and studies at the highest possible level. Even though I love to travel, a gap year, which many take after graduating from high school to travel the world, was not an option. However, when the opportunity arose after my bachelor’s degree to combine all of this, to play soccer at a professional level, to complete a top master’s degree and, at the same time, to live abroad for an extended period of time, I didn’t have to think twice. In no other country do you get as much support on the way to completing your studies and further developing your sporting career as you do in the USA. Even though it is certainly never easy to be so far away from home, it is an incredibly valuable experience.
As a master’s student, most of my classes were late in the evening, between 7 and 10 p.m., which took some getting used to at first. Since we always trained with the team at 10 a.m., I was able to concentrate completely on soccer in the mornings. After lunch with my teammates, I started studying, mostly in study areas on campus, before going to class after dinner. In preparation for the season, I occasionally had a second training session on the field or in the gym in the afternoon.
After completing my bachelor’s degree in sports science in Germany, my goal was to further my education in sports business with a master’s degree in the USA. The fact that my university offered one of the top 10 sports management master’s programs in the world was a perfect fit and one of the main reasons why I chose George Washington University.
What I found rather annoying during my bachelor studies in Germany, relatively monotonous lectures, very theoretical, an exam on a huge amount of material at the end of the semester, was completely different in the US. Several different projects and smaller exams were spread out over the semester. In addition, the projects were often carried out and implemented in cooperation with local sports companies and sports clubs. I was able to develop and support projects with DC United (MLS), Washington Commanders (NFL), Washington Wizards (NBA) and Washington Capitals (NHL), among others.
As part of the university soccer team, you have the best conditions to develop yourself optimally. With daily training and a team of trainers and coaches consisting of 3 trainers plus a goalkeeper trainer, we were able to train very specifically and sometimes in small groups. This gave us the opportunity to set a different training focus every day, whether tactical, technical, standard situation, etc.. Due to the high training load and sometimes two games a week, however, there was also a great focus on load control. Top modern sports facilities and artificial or natural turf at professional level were the norm. In addition, we had a new, modern gym just for university sports teams, which we could use around the clock, as well as top-equipped treatment and regeneration rooms.
As a student-athlete, the game days were of course the highlights of the week for me. The match preparation started with a pre-game lunch/dinner together as a team, depending on the kick-off time. This was followed by an analysis of the opponents and a discussion of tactics. After that, it was onto the pitch. At home games, we were often supported by the Student-Athletes and friends from other varsity sports teams who provided atmosphere. After the game, whether home or away, the parents of our American teammates always organized a post-game meal and we could all finish the day together.
At away games, the schedule was very similar with the difference that we often arrived the day before and spent a night in a hotel. The away trips were always an experience because of this and excellent for the team as you grow even closer together.
Train daily at the highest level and compete with up-and-coming athletes from around the world.
The USA offers you the best universities in the world: the academic content and methods are first-class and internationally recognized.
Take advantage of this unique opportunity to develop personally in a short period of time: gain experience with other cultures and learn perfect English.
One thing is for sure: You will stand out positively for future employers with your international education.
Yes! In addition to our team of trainers, we had a physio who was available to us before, during and after training or by arrangement outside our training time for mobilization, stretching, regeneration, taping, etc.. There were well-equipped physio and regeneration rooms both on campus and directly at the soccer field, so we always had a short way to treatments depending on the lecture schedule.
Without a doubt, the decision to pursue a soccer scholarship and study in the U.S. was one of the best decisions of my life so far. It certainly requires a high level of discipline, willingness to learn and openness to challenges, but building on this I was able to experience some sporting successes with the team. I was also able to develop a lot individually, which enabled me to try out for two professional teams in the USA. This shows that it is also possible to make the leap from college to professional soccer. At the same time, I had the opportunity to complete a top degree program, which interests me, is a lot of fun and opens many doors for the future. Outside of the soccer field and studies, the countless unforgettable experiences with my teammates and friends remain. Highlights for me were definitely the trips to different cities (Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York, Miami, etc.) and national parks in the U.S. and the countless sporting events we were able to attend (NBA, MLS, NHL, etc.).
First and foremost, of course, it’s about playing soccer at a high and professional level, developing yourself and completing a top bachelor’s/master’s degree that will make it as easy as possible for you to start your professional life. Both are possible with a spot scholarship in the USA. Since I have already started my professional life and have several applications and interviews behind me, I can say from my own experience how much it is appreciated by companies to speak English fluently on the one hand, and on the other hand to have the experience of having studied in another country for years. With the network you build over your studies, the many different influences and challenges, the competitive and dynamic life in college, as well as basic skills such as time management, leadership, etc., you will be far ahead of many other applicants as a student-athlete.
