Lower Merion’s Shane Brown is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week
The senior striker was a powerful offensive presence for the Aces last fall, scoring seven goals for the Central League champions. He received first team All-Main Line honors and second team All-Central League recognition as Lower Merion (21-2-1) was undefeated during the regular season, and finished third in the PIAA District 1 4A tourney. Off the pitch, Brown participates in Unified Track, in which students work with special needs youths who compete in track meets.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your training with the Lower Merion soccer team this fall? As a senior starter, how do you feel you can best display your leadership during the off-season training this fall?
A: We haven’t been able to be on the field as a team as much as we want due to COVID-19. But every time we’re out there we give it 100 percent effort all the time. We make sure we don’t take it for granted because we know there’s a chance [as of Sept. 20] we aren’t going to play. Being a mentor for the younger guys is the most important thing for me. I remember exactly how it felt when I was in their shoes. Having someone share wisdom they’ve gained through playing really goes a long way. It’s a weird time. Making it comfortable, but challenging for the underclassmen is the goal because they’ll be taking over the team one day.
Q: What was your favorite game of last fall – can you share your most vivid memory of it with us?
A: We had a very important week in the Central League, as we faced both Radnor and Conestoga, and we beat the Raiders at Radnor, 2-0. It was scoreless until about five minutes into the second half, when we won a free kick close to their goal, and the ball was headed out to me just outside the 18 yard box. I chested it down, put it on my right foot and finished in the bottom right corner for a goal. Hearing the crowd screaming and my teammates swarming me is a memory I’ll keep forever.
Q: Tell us a little about your soccer training since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. What have you found to be the biggest challenge to your off-season training, and how did you handle that?
A: When training I think it’s always important to have a partner that is going to continue pushing you when you want to quit. Not being able to practice with people during quarantine was very difficult, because there’s only so much you can work on by yourself. Starting the day off with a run is how I stayed focused with my training. Having the commitment to wake up and run, then do cone work with the ball, is what always kept me in check.
Q: What do you consider the strongest part of your game, and what are you working on most currently?
A: Being able to isolate a defender on the wing and get a cross or shot is where I am most dangerous. Getting to the endline and crossing is where most of my assists came from. I’m always working on studying the game, because I want to have the highest soccer IQ possible.
Q: Tell us a little about your start in soccer. Have you been primarily a striker or a midfielder?
A: The first year I played travel soccer I was the D team for the Lower Merion Soccer Club. I was a striker and faster than everyone, so of course all I did was run past the defense and score. Throughout the years my technical ability has improved tremendously from where I started, and that’s how I transitioned into the left and right midfield positions.
Q: Who have been your most important soccer mentors, and what was the most important thing each of them taught you?
A: My current club coach Jeremiah White has shared an endless amount of wisdom with me. The most important thing he taught me is that if you want to make it in the world of soccer you have to have grit and the determination to make sacrifices to be better than everyone else. My high school coach, Nico Severini, took me under his wing my freshman year. He’s given me so much confidence as a player. Every game it feels like he teaches me something new to better my game. He taught that it doesn’t matter what club team you’re on, who your coach is, if you’re a freshman or a senior, if you have the skills to make an impact then you should be on the field.
Q: Briefly describe for us your pre-game preparation (physical, mental) on the day of a game.
A: When I have a game I think about it the moment I wake up. The whole day I visualize what I want to do when I get on the field. Hydrating and stretching is so important throughout the warmup. I always want to make sure my body is loose and has enough fluids to keep me running the whole game. My teammate of five years and best friend, Eli Forman, always gives me a pregame talk and tells me to keep simple and composed. He gives me the confidence to go 1v1 when I need to.
Q: You wear uniform jersey No. 7 for Lower Merion. Is there a reason you picked this number – does it have any significance to you?
A: I wear No. 7 because of Raheem Sterling of Manchester City. He’s faced a lot of adversity and doubters in his career and he keeps pushing and proving he’s one of the best.
Q: What is your favorite academic course at Lower Merion? What do you think you might want to major in at college? Is there a career field that particularly interests you at the present time?
A: Human anatomy and Physiology is the most interesting course I’ve taken. As of now, I think I’ll major in pre-med and become a physician. That is, if soccer doesn’t work out.
Fun facts – Shane Brown
Favorite book: The Bible.
Favorite TV show: Big Mouth.
Favorite movie: Youngblood.
Favorite athlete: Raheem Sterling.
Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Bossanova, by Lil Tecca.
Favorite team: Chelsea.
Favorite place to visit: Edmond, Okla.
Favorite pre-game meal: one banana.
Person I most admire, and why: “I admire my dad the most because he always gives me the best advice for life.”
Family members: parents Randall and Shannon, brothers Cooper and Andersen, sister Sasha.
(To be selected as Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by his coach.)
