#25 - Ryan Schaeffer

I began playing soccer at age 4 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I played every sport, but soccer was always my first love. I played forward as a youth soccer player and continued all the way through college and Air Force soccer. After a long hiatus from soccer and 3 knee surgeries, I became a defender. Patience is something I have changed with the way I approach the game. I used to immediately try to run through everyone, including the brick wall. The honor of wearing the Crest would be my greatest achievement in sports. To
Representing my family, my college, my career, my hometown, and all my teammates that have gotten me here would be an amazing honor. I would regard wearing the Crest and representing the United States of America as the highest responsibility that I have had in my life, second only to being a father. Being an elite athlete over 40 is an art, not a science. Mentally and physically, you must dedicate so much time to your craft. Being mindful of your activity and what you put into your body every day matters so much more than it did 20 years ago. A strict diet and workouts 6 days a week have me on the right track. I think the Veteran standard. Professionalism, training, soccer IQ, and passion make this group potentially the best I’ve ever played alongside. This program is relatively new and has the potential to grow substantially in a very short
amount of time. Many legacies are legitimized as you look at them in the past tense. I want to give everything I can give and look back with no regrets and say I was part of this growing Legacy. I want it to continue to grow well after I am part of it. There is always someone working harder, make that person exceptionally hard to find.