For many athletes, the season can seem never-ending if they are passionate about improving in their sport. This is especially true for older athletes as they prepare for varsity and even college. One such athlete is Junior Colin Shaughnessy, the leading goal scorer for North Atlanta’s men’s JV soccer last year.
Shaughnessy’s soccer career started at the YMCA fields at the age of three. Despite a little bit of baseball and lacrosse, soccer always came out on top for the young athlete. On his current club team, Southern Soccer Academy (SSA) Central, he plays center back, a more defensive position. Standing at almost 6 feet 3 inches tall, his height plays an advantage in his ability to quickly reach the ball and tackle other players. However, when playing as a Dub, he is generally assigned as a striker, a position reserved for the most advanced of players. “Switching positions was definitely an adjustment,” he said. “I have had to be much more versatile.”
In addition to being strong on the field, Shaughnessy is also strong in the North Atlanta classrooms as an IB Diploma candidate. As he knows junior year will be challenging, balancing schoolwork with his practice is a skill that he is hoping to master soon. He believes time management is crucial for success. Shaughnessy spends his afternoons before practice ensuring that all of his work is done so he can relax later at night. “My workload has definitely increased this year, but I know that I’ll be able to manage it,” he said.
His love for soccer has made it more than just a sport for Shaughnessy. On most weekends, he spends his time refereeing for younger leagues or coaching neighborhood kids on the basics of soccer. Being a mentor to young players and being able to adapt to different situations in a game as a referee are things he never saw himself doing. These leadership roles have also helped him come out of his shell. Looking back, he wishes he was able to have some sort of one-on-one time when he was younger, though he is happy to help the younger generation. “I love the feeling of coaching the sport I love,” he said. “Knowing that I can help someone else improve makes me very happy.”
While this is Shaughnessy’s third year as a soccer Dub, he still hopes to show a lot of improvement at tryouts this spring. His goal is to make the Varsity team and he hopes that his hard work in the off-season will make a positive impression on the coaches.
