TJ Schaefer
October 14, 2013
What are your expectations/goals for this season?
This season is all about making history. We want to be the first team to win three conference championships in a row in the Freedom and we want to get past the first round of the NCAA tournament.
I believe we can play with any team in the nation and that has my own expectations for the team this is year is to set at getting to the Final Four.
How did you approach this season differently?
This is my last time in my life that I will ever be playing soccer at such a competitive level so I have approached this season with an edge I never really had before. I just constantly pushed myself with the mindset that this is my last hoorah and I didn’t want the season to be over and have regrets about if I could have done more.
How much have you seen yourself develop both mentally and physically in the offseason?
Physically I feel that I have more or less remained the same as I was last year. I have gained some strength but nothing like the significant jumps I made as a Freshmen or Sophomore. Mentally is a whole different story though. I have begun to understand the game a lot better in the offseason and as captain I have had to learn how to read the needs of the team.
Do you see the same with the overall team?
We have definitely gotten stronger and faster as a team. Mentally the younger guys are starting to figure out how we play here at Mis while the upperclassmen have finally gotten a good grasp on it.
Do you run into any complications when balancing your schoolwork with your sports schedule?
Complications only arise when I myself manage my time poorly. School and practices take up a lot of your day so you do not have time to procrastinate and go on twitter or watch football all day on Sunday. Obviously it is hard to refrain from procrastination all the time and thus when I do it is then and only then that I run into complications.
Do you feel pressure to repeat any success your team had last season?
Yes. Lots. There is so much history in this program and so many conference championships that to not win one seems unacceptable. That is the kind of pressure that is welcomed though and everyone on the team accepts it with open arms.
What are you looking to improve about your overall game?
My touch on the ball and the accuracy of my passes can always improve. My decision making on the field needs to get quicker and smarter. What I have worked on the most though is striking the ball on frame. All are little improvements that will help me take my game to the next level.
What are you doing to make those improvements?
For striking the ball on frame I have been working on my approach to the ball so my plant foot doesnt end up behind the ball. That just means me repeatedly striking balls at a goal from all different angles and run ups.
What do you feel your personal strengths on the field are?
I defend well and I’m good at reading the game to find where the loose balls are going to be before they get there. Once I win the ball I am good at slowing the game down and getting our offensive attack going.
If all goes well, how far do you see your team going this season?
Winning the conference championship and moving onto the NCAA tournament. Once we are in the NCAA tournament then anything can happen. We are a great defending team and teams will be hard pressed to score a goal on us. It is hard to lose a soccer game if you don’t give up a goal. So to answer your question more directly, if all goes well I see our team competing for the National Championship in Texas during the final weekend of the NCAA tournament.
Photo Courtesy of MU Athletics
