Shipley’s Vance Yanney is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week (Sept. 26-Oct. 2)
A senior midfielder and captain who was an All-Friends Schools League and All Main Line boys soccer selection last fall, Yanney has been a key cog in the Gators’ fine start this season. Shipley boys’ soccer coach Thomas Schauerman said, “Vance communicates well in the midfield, wins first and second balls and often does all of the dirty work that allows us to keep the ball and out possess our opponents.” Yanney plays club soccer for Pa. Dominion ECNL team and he has been the captain of the PA ODP Team.
Q: Have you always played midfield? How do you see your team leadership role (both on and off the field) as a midfielder and a captain?
A: Throughout my life, I have played every position on the soccer field, from goalie to striker. For a long period of my life, I played center back. However, I enjoy playing midfield the most out of all the positions. As a captain, I see my team leadership role as a player who is constantly positive and uplifting my teammates. Both on and off the field, my voice can be heard, guiding my team through the game.
Q: What do you think is the strongest part of your game? What part of your game have you worked on the most recently?
A: I think the strongest parts of my game are passing, defensive positioning and tactical awareness. The main parts of my game that I am currently working on are my physical speed and my offensive traits.
Q: Tell us a little about your start in soccer. Who have been your top soccer mentors, and what was the most important thing you learned from each of them?
A: Soccer has always been a part of my life. Being South American, soccer is more than just a game to me; it’s a lifestyle. I had two main soccer mentors when I was younger: Scott Spangler and Justin Wyatt. Scott Spangler was the first coach that ever believed in me as a young player. As a kid who wasn’t gifted physically back then, he saw my potential on the field through my mental aspect of the game. He taught me that there is more to something than meets the eye. Justin Wyatt was my coach for 3 1/2 years. He took a chance on me during my childhood when no one else would. He taught me to always be open minded and be willing to take risks.
Q: Tell us a little about your pre-game preparation the day of a game.
A: My pre-game ritual actually starts the night before, when I like to have pasta for dinner. Then, I like to get between 8-10 hours of sleep and wake up to a cold shower in the morning. Before the game, I listen to music that makes me happy because it reminds me that I play soccer for fun. Right before the game starts, I take two tuck jumps (knees to chest) and sprint onto the field. Then, I am ready to play.
Q: What has been your favorite experience of your soccer career with Pa. Dominions ECNL?
A: My favorite experience with Pa. Bucks Dominion has to be the first goal I scored for the club. We played my old team in the semifinals of States and this matchup made itself into a rivalry through our history. We won that game and it helped send us to the state championship. I remember going to the corner and celebrating with all of my teammates and remember how much joy I felt in that moment.
Q: Tell us a little about your responsibilities as a captain of the Pa. ODP Team.
A: As a captain of the ODP team, I make sure everything is functioning correctly on and off the field. For example, I make sure team chemistry always stays high because, since everyone plays for different clubs, there could’ve been some tension between the players due to a previous game, and, as a captain, I try to keep that tension at the door so it doesn’t interfere with our team.
Q: What has been your most memorable experience with the Pa. ODP team?
A: My most memorable experience on the ODP Team was our journey to winning the regional U-16 championships. I remember winning the final 4-2 after being up 4-0 on the opposing team and remember how happy we all were to have won the finals. In my eyes, everything I had done as a captain and preparing my team for this journey had been worth the work.
Q: What is your favorite academic course at Shipley?
A: This is a tough question for me because I have a lot of classes I have liked in the past and currently. However, I think my two favorite courses at Shipley are Pre-Calculus and Biology. I loved Pre-calculus because I just love math and I thought Biology was super cool because we got to learn about evolution and other subjects that piqued my interests.
Q: Is there a career path that particularly appeals to you at the present time?
A: Currently, when I grow up, I want to work on Wall Street in High Yield and Options trading with my father. I feel as though this would be a fun way of using my interests I currently have and applying them to the outside world (competitiveness and love of math).
Q: Do you participate in any other extracurricular activities at Shipley other than soccer?
A: I am a part of the debate team, a Chess Team captain, and a co-founder of the Ultimate Frisbee team at Shipley. I have been on the debate team for four years now at Shipley and have participated in impromptu debates. Also, my co-captain and I are trying to set up the first chess match in Shipley history while teaching students how to play the oldest board game in human history. Lastly, me and a bunch of my friends formed an ultimate frisbee team and played our first ever match in Shipley history against the Friends Central School, where we won 15-10.
Fun facts – Vance Yanney
Favorite book: Call of the Wild, by Jack London.
Favorite author: William Shakespeare.
Favorite TV show: Game of Thrones.
Favorite movie: Eurotrip.
Favorite athlete: N’Golo Kante.
Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Humble, by Kendrick Lamar.
Favorite team: Chelsea FC.
Favorite place to visit: Turks and Caicos Islands.
Favorite pre-game meal: Spaghetti and meatballs.
Person I most admire, and why: “I most admire my father because he is a perfect representation of who I want to be when I get older.”
Family members: Parents Christopher Sr. and Elsie Sr., younger brothers Christopher Jr. and Xavier, younger sister Elsie Jr. and dog (Maverick).
(To be selected as Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by his coach.)
